Thornhill Trojans 22-6 Shaw Cross Sharks
An early evening cloud burst eased slightly to allow this local derby to take place. Despite being played in persistent rain the game turned out to be a cracking contest with both teams giving it their all.
However, it was the Trojans who emerged from this tussle victorious as individual flashes of brilliance proved to be the difference between the two teams.
The Thornhill substitutes bench contained Jason Firth and Richard Pachniuk. Both players had a key roll in last season's campaign and both were having their first run out of the new season. Richard Pachniuk entered the game after only nine minutes of play and showed no signs of lacking match practice. Such was Pachniuk's impact on the game he was named official man of the match.
But the post match talking point from this game came with the dismissal of Thornhill's new head coach Paul March. On the eve of travelling down to Twickenham with his Huddersfield Giants team mates, with the Trojans leading 16-6, March was deemed to have spoken out of turn by referee Andrew Grundy and was shown the red card.
The dismissal of March stirred the Trojans to lift their game further. This spirit enabled Liam Morley to break away and score the match clinching try.
It was the referee raising one of his cards that was the first real notable point in this game. With the game a few minutes old, Thornhill's hooker Anthony Broadhead was shown the yellow card for persistently ripping the ball. The lack of a hooker on the field prompted the premature introduction of substitute Richard Pachniuk.
Not long after taking to the field, with play 20 meters from the Shaw Cross try line, after a good run by Chris Walker, Pachniuk picked up the ball from acting half to break away and cross for a try. Craig Holmes converted.
Thornhill continued to apply the pressure when Shaw Cross were penalised for use of the elbow. Craig Holmes slotted over a penalty goal. Feeling bullish about his kicking, Craig Holmes then booted over his third goal of the game when Shaw Cross were penalised for holding down.
As half time approached Shaw Cross proved that they had a point to make. They did this by using the wet conditions to their advantage. With play in Shaw Cross' half of the field, straight from a scrum down the ball was booted deep into Thornhill territory. Thornhill's winger Chris Walker made a mess over collecting the ball and it spilled free. Craig Lilley had followed the kick perfectly and was on hand to pick up the ball and go over for a try. Chris Renton converted.
This set the scene for an intriguing second half but it soon became apparent that Thornhill were having nothing to do with talk of a second half revival by the Sharks.
Thornhill made a strong opening to the second half and deprived Shaw Cross of the ball for much of the this period. Within a minute of the restart with play close to the Shaw Cross line Richard Pachniuk switched the ball blind to put Chris Walker over for a try in the corner. Craig Holmes kicked a brilliant goal from out wide.
It then looked as though Chris Walker was going over for his second try of the game but the referee ruled that the final pass he received from Richard Pachniuk had been forward.
The dismissal of Trojans Coach Paul March seven minutes from time gave Thornhill the impetus to kill the game off. With Cross on the attack, Liam Morley intercepted a pass to race 70 meters and cross for a brilliant opportunist try. Craig Holmes kicked the goal to complete a fine victory for the Trojans.
After two games the Trojans have now cleared the four point deficit imposed by the National Conference League Management and now move onto zero points.
Report By Andrew Byram
MATCH FACTS
Thornhill Trojans 22
(Maroon & White)
1) Craig Holmes 5 Goals
2) Chris Walker 1 Try
3) Robert Copley
4) Scott Redgwick
5) Andrew Peacock
6) Scott Dyson
7) Liam Morley 1 Try
8) Rob Carruthers
9) Anthony Broadhead
10) Scott Woodcock
11) Shane Davies
12) Lee Schofield
13) Matthew Roberts
Subs:
14) Richard Pachniuk 1 Try
15) Jason Firth
16) Lee Smith
17) Daniel Annakin
Shaw Cross Sharks 6
(Red, Amber & Black)
1) Craig Lilley 1 Try
2) Dan Smith
3) Jamie Spence
4) Craig Simons
5) Chris Renton 1 Goal
6) Andy Fawkes
7) Steve Shaw
8) Mark Hirst
9) John Rourke
10) Andy Burland
11) Ryan Halloran
12) Dominic Byrne
13) John Bates
Subs:
14) Lee Tolson
15) Tim Hirst
16) Ben Diskin
17) Ryan Hepworth
Man of the match – Richard Pachniuk (Trojans) John Rourke (Sharks)
Referee – Andrew Grundy (Ossett)
Sin Bin – Anthony Broadhead – 6 mins ripping
Sent Off – Paul March (Thornhill Coach) 74 mins – expressing his views