Championship round-up
After a shaky opening 10 minutes, Halifax never looked like losing to Sheffield as they won 50-18.
Sheffield applied all the pressure on the Halifax line but failed to get the opening score.
That honour fell to Craig Ashall just before the quarter hour mark before Sean Pankywicz crossed moments later.
Dane Manning scored three minutes later and suddenly the Eagles, having had all the early momentum, were in a flap.
Ashall crossed to grab his second of the match to streach their lead to 20 points.
Dominic Brambani added consolation to finish off an awful half for Mark Aston’s men, but any thoughts of a potential fight back were suddenly on everyone’s mind after the restart.
Liam Higgins quickly added another four points to bring the scores back to 20-12 before Luke Ambler settled Halifax’s nerves. Dane MacDonald ensured the game was going to go down to the very end with his four-pointer.
Brambani was sin binned for a late challenge on Paul Handforth, and that turned the momentum of the game in Fax’s favour.
They quickly racked up the points with tries from Ross Divorty, Lee Paterson and Ben Heaton.
Jonny Pownell’s hat trick ensured York City Knights were sent back over the Pennines without their precious three points as Leigh won 36-6.
John Duffy skippered the side and got them off the mark after six minutes with a try early on.
Gregg McNally was quick to extend Leigh’s lead before Pownall got his first. Martyn Ridyard crossed five minutes later before Pownall grabbed his second late in the first half.
The Knights caught the Centurions cold in the opening two minutes of the second half, but Matt Gardner increased Leigh’s lead before Pownell scored his hat trick with two minutes to go.
Featherstone remain unbeaten in the Championship after a tight 24-12 win at Dewsbury.
Fev got on the score board after the two sides battled it out for over half an hour when Ian Hardman capitalised on George Flanagan’s error.
Ryan Esders equalised for the Rams when, from the kick off, Fev gave up possession.
Dewsbury led 6-4 at half time thanks to a Pat Walker penalty.
Andy Kain got the half off to a flying start for Fev with a man-of-the-match performance which was rewarded with the first of two tries.
Matty Dale put Featherstone further ahead five minutes later, and the sudden burst stunned the Rams who had until this point competed well.
Austin Buchanan reduced the deficit for the Rams but Kain added his second try to seal the win for Fev.
Keighley thrashed Barry Eaton’s Hunslet side with a 48-6 win at Cougar Park.
Despite taking over half an hour to get the opening try, Ollie Pursglove and Craig Moss scored just before half time.
Josh Nathaniel scored just after half time for the Hawks, but that sprung the start of a Cougar attack.
Andy Shickell, Jode Sheriffe, Semi Tadulala, Sam Obst, James Haythornthwaite, and James Feather added to Hunslet’s woes inside half an hour.
Swinton Lions stunned John Kear’s Batley Bulldogs with a 26-18 win at the Leigh Sports Village.
Daley Williams scored for the Bulldogs after 10 minutes before the Lions replied with Gavin Dodd.
Chaz I’Anson stunned the Batley side, who quickly responded with normal and expected service shortly after. Lewis Palfrey and Williams both grabbed tries before half time to make the scores 18-10 at half time.
But Steve McCormack’s side had other ideas and kept the Bulldogs score less in the second half with tries from Cunniffe, Tom Armstrong and Scott Hale.
