Halifax looking to back-up

Confident Halifax are aiming to prove last week’s 36-16 win at Leigh was no flash in the pan during Thursday’s live televised Championship fixture against Hunslet Hawks.

Halifax became the first team to beat Leigh in a league fixture this year when they triumphed last week, but remarkably it was only Halifax’s third win of the season.

Now the pressure is on coach Matt Calland to show that result was no fluke with another decent performance against Hunslet.

Livewire hooker Sean Penkywicz could return after missing the Leigh game with a foot injury, while dual-registered prop Gil Dudson could make his Halifax home debut.

Hawks coach Paul March has urged his side to prove they are not “dead and buried” after last week’s 34-12 defeat against Batley.

His task is made harder after Hunslet forwards Rob Kelly and James Houston both sustained injuries in Sunday’s match.

But March is remaining upbeat, and victory on Thursday could see Hunslet leap above Halifax into seventh place in the Co-operative Championship.

March said: “We were committed for 70 minutes against Batley, but the last 10 minutes took its toll.

“For the first 40 minutes we were very good defensively and with the ball in hand.”

He added: “There was effort all across the park. Hopefully against Halifax we can come out with our backs against the wall and show everybody that we’re not dead and buried.”