Hunslet Hawks scored an important victory against a lacklustre Whitehaven this afternoon (31 August 2015) in the Kingstone Press Championship Shield at The Recreation Ground.
Hunslet led from the first minute to the hooter as they built on last week’s win at the London Broncos. They are building valuable momentum as they battle to avoid relegation.
Hunslet got off to a dream start. Simon Brown kicked off and Matty Gee recovered the ball within the Whitehaven 20 and went on to score with just one minute on the clock. Brown missed the conversion, but the Hawks were 0-4 ahead.
Hunslet kept up the early pressure and Aaron Lyons scored the second try after 8 minutes. Brown converted to put the Hawks 0-10 up.
Mo Agoro almost scored a third but was tackled into touch on the line on 12 minutes.
Whitehaven struck back with a break through the centre, Chamberlain found a gap to score, then kicked the extras to take the score to 6-10 after 15 minutes.
Hunslet almost scored as Jimmy Watson went over after Ansell recovered Brown’s kick, but he was adjudged offside. Chamberlain couldn’t collect Ansell’s chip ball 7 minutes later and knocked on. Mark Castle scored the try from the scrum that followed and Brown converted. After half an hour Hunslet Hawks led 6-16.
Whitehaven made good progress after two penalties against Hunslet, but the Hawks held up Robinson on the line on the last tackle and took over the ball. Further exchanges produced no further scores and the teams went in at half time with the score at 6-16 in Hunslet’s favour.
Whitehaven started the second half as Hunslet had started the first with Griffiths scoring and Chamberlain converting after just two minutes. 12-16.
Five minutes later George Flanagan scored Hunslet’s next try and Brown converted to restore the ten point lead, 12-22.
Hunslet extended their lead when Ryan Backhouse blocked Aiye’s kick and passed to James Duckworth who scored. Brown again kicked the conversion and the score was 12-28 with 20 minutes to go.
Whitehaven pulled points back as they scored through Taylor after 67 minutes. Chamberlain failed to kick the conversion leaving the score at 16-28.
With three minutes to go Simon Brown kicked a penalty after Gore was sin binned for dissent, extending Hunslet’s lead to 16-30 and that’s how it ended.
Final score: Whitehaven 16-30 Hunslet Hawks
Although still in the second relegation slot, the win puts Hunslet on 14 points just 2 points below Batley Bulldogs who lost at Featherstone Rovers. The Hawks face Doncaster next followed by Featherstone before the final match and potential relegation decider against Batley on 20 September.
Teams
Hunslet Hawks: Watson, Agoro, Duckworth, Maun, Barnett, Brown, Ansell, Houston, Lee, Lyons, Gee, Backhouse, Trout. Interchange: Flanagan, Brennan, Castle, Reed.
Whitehaven: Chamberlain, Burns, Taylor, Parker, Holliday, Coyle, Gore, Beaumont, Newton, Quinn, Aiye, Brooks, Davies. Interchange: Griffiths, Chapelhow, Robinson, Wilde.
