Championship 1 Review: Round 6

Correspondent

Hunslet Hawks are the new leaders of The Co-operative Championship 1 after they beat previous table toppers South Wales Scorpions 42-14 at The Gnoll.

The first half was a closely fought contest with the visitors establishing a 16-6 lead through tries from Paul March, Richard Chapman and Stuart Kain – two of which were converted by Richard Knight.

The second 40 minutes saw the Hawks step up a gear and score five further tries.  Stuart Kain added his second whilst David March, Danny Grimshaw, Neil Lowe and Michael Mark also crossed to help Paul March’s side inflict a first home defeat on the Neath based Scorpions.

After defeating York City Knights 27-14, Blackpool Panthers are now up to second in the table and still have their 100 per cent record intact.
Despite trailing 6-4 at the break, Martin Crompton’s men put in a superb second half performance which included a 12 minute hat-trick for flying winger David Llewelyn to record their fourth league victory of the season.

In the game of the day, a second half try by a stand-off Mick Fogerty, his second of the day, was the difference as Oldham beat Workington Town 16-14 to move up to third.

The home side took control early on scoring two tries within 12 minutes. Centre Lucas Onyango and Fogerty crossed for Oldham who went into the break 10-0 up.

The visitors drew level half-way through the second half though when Scott Kaighan converted his own try and Michael Whitehead also added a four pointer.  However Fogerty’s 66th minute try, which was converted by Matt Ashe, proved the difference although Workington did set up a grandstand finish when centre Neil Frazer scored with two minutes to go.

Doncaster recorded their second win in three games with a 38-28 home win against London Skolars who will take great confidence from a second half which despite the defeat saw them outscore the home side four tries to one.

Skolars gave themselves too much to do though in the second half conceding six tries in the first 40 minutes to Doncaster to trail 32-6 at the break.  Second rower David Bates was the star of the first half crossing for two tries, whilst his team mates Gary Ellery, Lee Gomersall, Aaron Henry and Craig Lawton also crossed the whitewash.