YORKSHIRE 40 LANCASHIRE 10
ARINDAM REJ, Craven Park, Saturday
LEEDS RHINOS youngsters were key in doing damage as Yorkshire secured a deserved, emphatic win over Lancashire in the Academy Origin clash.
Rhinos players Zak Lloyd, Oscar Brown, Joe Diskin, George Brown and Marcus Qareqare all scored tries as their team picked up seven in total. Leeds’ Harley Thomas had a successful afternoon with the boot too, nailing six from seven, although he was sin-binned during the first half.
Yorkshire applied pressure from early on but their opponents showed some positive defensive qualities in those initial stages.
But Callum Kemp delivered an early dangerous kick, which forced a repeat set – and that eventually cracked the opponents. Ellis Lingard made a troublesome run and offload then Zak Lloyd pounced for the try.
The pressure from the home county kept coming after that early strike, with Lancashire struggling to find fluency, and some desperate, collective defence was required to hold up Jacob Stead.
Thomas was sent to the sin bin though for kicking the ball away – and Lancashire quickly took advantage of having the extra player. The impressive Sam Dickenson was the player who finished eye-catchingly in the corner.
Lancashire had hardy had a sniff before that but they looked lifted by that try and they caused more problems while Thomas was off the field, as Yorkshire understandably started to look less assured than before. But the White Rose county’s players came agonisingly close when Lloyd and then Archie Sykes were both held up in quick succession.
When Yorkshire had the full 13 players back on the field, they rapidly stretched the lead again though as Isaac Holdsworth forced his way over for the try and the returning Thomas added the extra two points to give them their 12-4 lead at the break.
That lead was inflated early in the second half when Oscar Brown added a try as he squeezed over in the left-hand corner.
That came after a well-worked move that saw Holdsworth burst forward, Harry Smith continue the good work and Callum Kemp then send out a high-quality pass.
The waves of Yorkshire pressure continued, with Lancashire making too many errors, meaning the visitors’ resolve kept being tested – and they stood up at times to keep the score down, but a great chance was spurned for the hosts when Brown’s pass failed to pick out Alfie Lindsay.
The next breakthrough eventually came when Joe Diskin went over after Lloyd Kemp and Callum Kemp both did well in the build-up to set up the opportunity. Lancashire’s efforts were looking more tired at that stage and George Brown barged through for the next try, before Thomas’ successful conversion took the score to 30-4.
The question was how big the margin would get and an easy-on-the-eye passing move ended in Qareqare finishing in the right-hand corner with Thomas delivering the assist.
Credit to Lancashire, they did not collapse and the battling Shea O’Connor grafted his way over for a try before Irwin added the two.
But Yorkshire had more points in them as Callum Kemp dummied, spun and crashed over beyond soft defence, before Thomas nailed another kick.
Lingard was sin-binned late on for his part in O’Connor being floored, leading to tempers being lost, but there were handshakes at the end, as Yorkshire celebrated a job well done.
GAMESTAR: Zak Lloyd delivered an industrious and influential display including the first try.
GAMEBREAKER: Oscar Brown arrowing over a try early in the second half left Lancashire with a mountain to climb.
MATCHFACTS
YORKSHIRE
1 Lloyd Kemp (Hull FC)
2 Alfie Lindsay (Castleford Tigers)
3 Oscar Brown (Leeds Rhinos)
4 Harley Thomas (Leeds Rhinos)
5 Marcus Qareqare (Leeds Rhinos)
6 George Brown (Leeds Rhinos)
7 Callum Kemp (Hull FC)
8 Ellis Lingard (Wakefield Trinity)
9 Joe Diskin (Leeds Rhinos)
10 Daniel Stelfox (Leeds Rhinos)
11 Jacob Stead (Leeds Rhinos)
12 Archie Sykes (Huddersfield Giants)
13 Zak Lloyd (Leeds Rhinos)
Subs (all used)
14 Harry Smith (Leeds Rhinos)
15 Joe Butterfield (Leeds Rhinos)
16 Frankie Dearlove (Hull KR)
17 Isaac Holdsworth (Warrington Wolves)
18 Tyler Sharpe (Castleford Tigers)
19 Dacx Jones Buchanan (Leeds Rhinos)
26 Lewis Jagger (Huddersfield Giants)
Tries: Lloyd (7), Holdsworth (37), O Brown (44), Diskin (59), G Brown (63), Qareqare (68), C Kemp (75)
Goals: Thomas 6/7
Sin bin: Thomas (24) – kicking ball away
Ellis Lingard (80) – dangerous tackle
LANCASHIRE
1 Lachlan Webster (Warrington Wolves)
2 Sam Dickenson (Wigan Warriors)
3 Kian McGann (St Helens)
4 Charlie Walker (Warrington Wolves)
5 Jayden Drachenberg (Wigan Warriors)
6 Dan Regan (Warrington Wolves)
7 Ewan Irwin (Warrington Wolves)
8 Micheal Porter (Wigan Warriors)
9 Oliver Morgan (Warrington Wolves)
10 Dan Hackney (Warrington Wolves)
11 Dan Coop (Warrington Wolves)
12 Oliver Garmston (St Helens)
13 Jakes Ramden (Warrington Wolves)
Subs (all used)
14 Tom Humphries (St Helens)
15 Harlen Smith (Wigan Warriors)
16 Leo Wadsworth (Wigan Warriors)
17 Shea O’Connor (Wigan Warriors)
18 Sam Hill (Salford Red Devils)
19 Lewis Daniels (Wigan Warriors)
20 Oliver Polec (St Helens)
Tries: Dickenson (27), O’Connor (72)
Goals: Irwin 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 12-4; 18-4, 24-4, 30-4, 34-4, 34-10, 40-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Yorkshire: Zak Lloyd; Lancashire: Sam Dickenson
Penalty count: 4-5
Half-time: 12-4