DEWSBURY RAMS 0 BATLEY BULLDOGS 18
KEITH McGHIE, FLAIR Stadium, Boxing Day
NEW boss James Ford’s Batley extended their recent domination of the Roy Powell Trophy after a three-try nilling of near neighbours Dewsbury in the annual Boxing Day derby.
The Mount Pleasant-based side have won ten of the festive encounters since the Rams last triumphed in 2011, with two draws in that run.
The Rams paraded ten fresh faces, including the trialists Alfie Wall, Sam Spencer and Aaron Lyne, to supplement the returnees from last season.
Batley, meanwhile, named eight of their nine newcomers, the exception being Ben Reynolds who was serving the first of a two-match suspension incurred with previous club Featherstone,.
They had a trialist of their own in Joe Mitchell, while stalwart Alistair Leak, so often a gamebreaker, was forced to withdraw with symptoms of flu.
A big Boxing Day crowd savoured bright if brisk sunshine as an almost faultless first-half display sent Batley in at the break with a 12-0 advantage.
Good early goal-line defence kept the lively Bulldogs at bay until Jack Hudson took a Josh Woods cross-field kick cleanly and grounded in goal after 15 minutes of his first appearance since joining from Huddersfield.
Woods added the goal – the first of three successful kicks out of three.
With Dewsbury still not having threatened with the ball in hand in their visitors’ 20, Joe Burton added a second try after lightning-quick and accurate hands from Robbie Butterworth.
And only fine combined covering defence prevented new signing Kieran Brining from claiming another try inside the opening half hour.
A Jacob Hookem kick, following a rare defensive slip, posed the first Rams chance, before Michael Ward was held up behind the posts at the other end a minute later.
After the break, the Bulldogs’ historically renowned rearguard qualities were more severely tested for ten minutes but passed the examination with flying colours, although Ford’s men were less clinical in possession.
Incredible veteran Paul Sykes, now 44, emerged from the Dewsbury bench in the 55th minute to begin his record-extending 28th consecutive season as a professional, having broken Gus Risman’s long-standing mark during the 2025 campaign.
Butterworth joined the line to cross just after the hour but a forward pass resulted in the Batley score being ruled out.
Burton added his second try with seven minutes to play, after a fine offload from newcomer Jay Scriven, as Woods maintained his 100 percent record with the boot.
GAMESTAR: Jonah Parsons gave an alert and industrious 80-minute display, enforced by the absence of the ill Alistair Leak.
GAMEBREAKER: Technically it wasn’t until Joe Burton’s second try, but the Bulldogs effectively had it wrapped up before then.
MATCHFACTS
RAMS
1 Craig McShane
2 Tom Delaney
24 Alfie Wall
4 George Senior
5 Liam Copland
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
8 Luke Nelmes
14 Jacob Parkinson
15 Jacob Bateman
11 Joe Summers
23 Brad Graham
13 Dec Tomlinson
Subs (all used)
21 Dave Benson
16 Louis Collinson
20 Valu Tanē Bentley
17 Harvey Roberts
18 Jack Briggs
12 Luke Mearns
26 Paul Sykes
19 Louie Walker
22 George Rayner
25 Sam Spencer
31 Aaron Lyne
BULLDOGS
1 Robbie Butterworth
2 Joe Burton
3 Wesley Bruines
20 Jack Hudson
5 Kieran Brining
14 Ben White
7 Josh Woods
17 Liam Kirk
19 Jonah Parsons
20 Luke Cooper
11 Dane Manning
12 Lucas Walshaw
13 Robson Stevens
Subs (all used)
8 Adam Gledhill
16 Michael Ward
15 Nyle Flynn
18 Evan Hodgson
23 Felix Ellis
22 Jay Scriven
21 Luca Atkinson
99 Joe Mitchell
Tries: Hudson (15), Burton (24, 73)
Goals: Woods 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12; 0-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rams: Craig McShane; Bulldogs: Jonah Parsons
Penalty count: 3-3
Half-time: 0-12
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas