Championship Round-up – Week 6
Leigh Centurions maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a 60-0 thrashing of Whitehaven at the Leigh Sports Village.
Tries from Jonny Pownall and Liam Kay inside ten minutes laid the platform for a dominant display.
Pownall added his second on 22 minutes before Martyn Ridyard converted his own try on 28 minutes to make it 24-0 to the hosts.
Liam Kay added another four-pointer on the half hour mark before Pownall completed his hat trick with seconds to go in the first half.
Jake Emmitt and Greg McNally made sure of the points with scores inside 45 minutes and Kay completed his treble on 51 minutes, before further tries from Ryan Brierley and another from Ridyard added extra gloss to the scoreline.
Meanwhile in West Yorkshire, Bradford Bulls extended their winning streak to five games with a comfortable 36-6 win over Workington Town.
Jay Pitts, Jake Mullaney and Danny Williams helped the Bulls to a 14-0 advantage after just 16 minutes, but Town held firm until 52 minutes when Adam Henry went over to make it 18-0.
Lee Gaskell’s converted try gave the scoreline a comfortable look before Perry Whiteley’s score offered a glimmer of hope to the visitors. But Henry’s second of the game on 67 minutes sealed the win and Williams added another late on to make it 36-6.
At the Hive, London Broncos made it three wins from three on home turf with a hard-earned 22-18 win over Halifax.
In an end-to-end first period, Daniel Harrison and James Saltonstall traded tries before Ben Heaten and Matt Garside exchanged scores to make it 12-all after 22 minutes.
The game went on to become a defensive battle with Mitch Calahane finally handing Fax a six point lead on 54 minutes. Iliess Macani replied on the hour but Wes Naiqama’s conversion attempt was off target, meaning the visitors held a slender two-point advantage going into the final quarter.
However, Warrington loanee Brad Dwyer crossed on 67 minutes, Naiqama adding the extras, to make it 22-18 to the hosts, and the Broncos held on.
In South Yorkshire, Doncaster were denied their first win of the 2015 campaign by a remarkable late fightback from Batley Bulldogs.
The hosts raced into a 14-0 lead after 32 minutes after converted tries from Jansin Turgut and Mitch Clark, plus a penalty from Dave Scott, but James Brown’s try on the stroke of half-time gave the Bulldogs a lifeline.
It remained 14-6 to the Dons until 69 minutes when Wayne Reittie went in to reduce the margin to just four points. And Cain Southernwood broke home hearts with his crucial try on 76 minutes, converting his own score to hand his side the two points.
Staying at the Keepmoat, Sheffield Eagles continued their winning run with a deserved 28-14 win over Hunslet Hawks.
Misi Taulapapa scored two converted tries before 16 minutes, but the Eagles winger was shown a red card with half time looming.
Despite being a man light, the home side remained in charge with Quentin Lauulu-Tongagae going over on 45 minutes.
Rob Mulhern got on the scoresheet soon after, but Michael Knowles cancelled out the Leeds prop’s score just three minutes later.
George Flanagan scored on 68 minutes to give the visitors some hope, but Kyle Brigs’ four-pointer made sure of the points five minutes from time.
Finally, on Friday night, Dewsbury Rams suffered their first home defeat of the season as they fell to a 38-28 reverse at the hands of Featherstone Rovers.
In a frantic start to the game, Scott Hale and Andy Bostock traded scores before Anthony Thackeray’s converted try was countered by Will Sharp – all before 22 minutes.
As half time approached, Rovers went ahead with Remy Marginet scoring two tries in as many minutes before Dalton Grant’s converted score on the hooter, and Kieran Hyde’s penalty, saw the sides go in to the break level at 20-all.
The visitors were dominant in the second half with Marginet completing his hat trick on 56 minutes before scores from Will Milner and Jamie Cording made sure of the points with ten minutes to play, meaning Tom Hemingway’s late effort counted for little.