The Championship Chat: Round 4, 2017

Zack Wilson

Batley bounce Eagles at Belle Vue

Batley Bulldogs won their second game of the season with an emphatic away win over Sheffield Eagles, with the final score 54-10 in the visitors’ favour. Sheffield’s opening home win over Toulouse begins to look like a bit of an outlier, with the French team experiencing travel troubles. This might be a truer reflection of Sheffield’s abilities. But Batley were almost faultless, with tries from Alistair Leak, Brad Day (two), Tom Holmes (two), Wayne Reittie (two), Dom Brambani, Macauley Hallett and Mike Hayward, with seven goals from Cain Southernwood, producing a dominant and deserved scoreline.

 

Broncos trample Rams

London Broncos produced a professional performance in testing weather conditions, to win 20-6 at Dewsbury. Three tries and four goals was enough to win the game, with the tries coming from Vitale Roqica, Jarrod Sammut and Alex Walker. Sammut added the goals. Rams’ try was scored by Hamish Barnes, with a goal from Paul Sykes completing their scoring.

 

Rovers roll over Roughyeds

Hull KR’s barnstorming progress through the Championship continued with an emphatic home win over Oldham. Rovers led 30-0 at half-time, before eventually winning 48-0. Conditions were windy, as Robins coach Tim Sheens acknowledged, saying: “We chose to play into that heavy wind in the first half and I was really pleased with our performance. We put everybody on notice in the changing rooms before the game that we would have to work hard playing into it, which we did. We completed at close to 100 per cent in the first half in tough conditions so I was really happy with that.” Rovers’ tries came from man of the match Thomas Minns (two), Shaun Lunt, James Donaldson, Nick Scruton, Jordan Abdull, Jamie Ellis and Kieren Moss, with Ellis kicking eight goals.

 

Hornets hauled down by Halifax

Rochdale suffered a 20-6 home defeat to Halifax, who now found themselves sixth in the table after recording their second victory of 2017. Fax notched three tries, from Ed Barber, Steve Tyrer and Rob Worrincy, with Tyrer kicking four goals. Hornets’ only response, on what was a tough afternoon for the home fans as well as the home team, was a Rob Massam try, converted by Lewis Palfrey. Hornets found themselves down to 11 men at one stage, with Gary Middlehurst (high tackle) and Ben Moores (dissent) being yellow carded in the second half.

 

Fev’s second-half fightback slays Lions

Featherstone Rovers are now in second place in the table on points difference to Hull KR, after a fine fight back after the interval at Swinton. The home side led 7-6 at half time, with a try from Andy Thornley and a penalty goal from Chris Atkin putting them into an early lead, before a Matt Wildie try and a Michael Knowles evened things up. An Atkin drop goal gave them their lead. Fev stormed out in the second half, however, and tries from Andy Bostock, Jason Walton and Ash Handley secured the two points. Knowles kicked seven goals in total. Thornley’s second half try for the home side was converted by Atkin, but it was not enough.

 

Bulls survive French backlash

Bradford recorded a 29-22 home win over French outfit Toulouse, who are beginning to look like trans-Channel away trips are a problem for them. Bradford led 22-6 at half time, with Iliess Macani, James Bentley, Ethan Ryan and Scott Moore scoring tries. Toulouse fought back in the second half, but Bradford held on, thanks to a try from Ross Oakes, and a drop goal from Scotland international Oscar Thomas, who also slotted four goals. Gavin Marguerite scored a hat trick for the visitors, with Stan Robin scoring one. Robin also kicked one goal, with Tony Maurel kicking two.

 

 

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