Northern Rail Cup round-up
Sheffield and holders Batley profited from late shows on the second weekend of the Northern Rail Cup.
The best the Eagles could muster was a draw at home to Championshipn 1 side Whitehaven, in what was a hard fought game. Tim Bergin and Ryan Hepworth helped the Eagles in to a 10-2 lead, but just as they had done against Gateshead last week, they allowed their opponents back in to the match.
Carl Sice‘s try before half time, and Dexter Miller‘s score on the hour put Whitehaven 14-10 to the good, as the Cumbrians looked to bounce back from Tuesday’s nights defeat at the hands of Workington.
Lewis Palfrey added his second penalty of the game to put Whitehaven 16-10 to the good, but they were denied a superb victory when Mitchell Stringer crossed for a try right at the death, and Bergin did his bit, converting the try to level things up at 16-16.
Batley also left it late away at Championship new boys Hunslet, who opened up an 8-0 first half lead and then set about holding off last season’s Northern Rail Cup winners.
Gareth Moore converted his own try to get the Bulldogs back in at 8-6, and they stole victory at the very end when Paul Handforth got on the end of a move to break Hunslet hearts.
Garry Schofield’s Barrow made hard work of a win for the second week in succession, as Rochdale earned themselves a bonus point in a 30-18 defeat. Liam Harrison scored four tries, including two in three second half minutes which put the game beyond doubt. But a try five minutes from time earned Rochdale a bonus point, with Jamie Rooney missing a conversion right on the hooter which would have cruelly denied John Stankevitch’s side.
Former Leigh full back Ian Mort scored two tries for Swinton but it wasn’t enough to lead his men to victory at the Leigh Sports Village, with Leigh coming away 42-22 winners. Mick Nanyn and Chris Hill scored two tries apiece for the Centurions.
Workington ran in 15 tries as they thumped Gateshead 82-0 at Derwent Park. Scott Kaighan scored a try and 11 goals as Town showed no mercy to their north east opponents.
Halifax marched to a routine win over Oldham, winning 50-10 at The Shay. Michael Ostick, Ben Blakc (2), Rob Worrincy, Makali Aizue, Sam Barlow (2), Danny Jones and Jim Gannon all got on the scoresheet, with Lucas Onyango scoring twice in reply for the visitors.
York put up another brave fight against a top end Championship team, but had to settle for a bonus point for the second week running as they went down at home to Featherstone. Featherstone looked good value for their 16-0 lead after half an hour, but they were pegged back to 16-12 by the break. Rovers then put the game beyond doubt at 32-12, before late tries from Jonny Presley and Ryan Esders earned the City Knights a potentially crucial bonus point.
Elsewhere, Dewsbury bounced back from their defeat at Toulouse last weekend to defeat Keighley 14-0. Josh Tonks and Keigan Hurst crossed for tries, with Dominic Brambani scoring three goals.