NEWCASTLE THUNDER 28 DEWSBURY RAMS 38
PHIL WORLD, Crow Trees, Sunday
DEWSBURY produced a second-half comeback built on physicality as their winning Championship start continued in a high-scoring encounter at Newcastle, who also came into the game unbeaten in the league but whose indiscipline proved costly.
Dewsbury started fast, using Luke Nelmes well to carry and bring the Thunder defenders in and leading to an early try by Jack McShane. Jacob Hookem converted, as he would all seven efforts at goal, to put the Rams six points ahead.
He added two points from a penalty before Newcastle fought back with a well-worked Cody Hunter try following a break from Andy Djeukessi, but Myles Harrison couldn’t add the conversion.
Dan Coates was yellow carded for a high tackle and Thunder took advantage when Jordan Lipp’s cutout pass found Djeukessi for an acrobatic finish in the corner to give Thunder the lead.
This was followed by Hunter putting Brad Ward over for an eight-point lead with the penalty count mounting for both sides.
Dewsbury hit back in a see-saw first half when Jacob Parkinson darted under the posts to score, with Jamie Gill, on loan from Bradford, being used really effectively by Dewsbury in the build-up and throughout the game as his powerful carrying caused the Thunder defence no end of problems.
The final score of the half was from Sean Croston, who touched down despite Dewsbury protests that the ball had been lost.
Thunder looked the more dominant team early in the second half as they scored a try through Brenden Santi, who brushed a defender off as he went over for a deserved try. This was followed by a Harrison penalty to take Thunder’s lead to 28-14 and it seemed a long way back for Dewsbury.
But the Rams rallied and put Thunder under huge pressure, forcing repeat sets and penalties. It told in the 58th minute when Louis Collinson charged through the Thunder defence to score and close the gap to eight points.
By this stage, it was all Dewsbury, through a mixture of their pressure, plus Thunder indiscipline and a lack of energy. It led to Brad Graham getting on the end of a Coates pass to score their fourth try and the score was 28-26 going into the last quarter.
By this point in the game, Dewsbury were relentless in their attack with the physicality taking its toll on the Thunder defence and they were making ground in every carry.
The big moment of the game came when Nelmes powered over from short range and Hookem converted to take it to 28-32 going into the final ten minutes.
Newcastle had an opportunity but were pulled back for obstruction as they attacked the Dewsbury line.
And it was Dewsbury who got their deserved last try of the game when star man Jack McShane went over on the hooter to round off a well-deserved victory.
GAMESTAR: Jack McShane was a constant threat from hooker for Dewsbury.
GAMEBREAKER: Luke Nelmes darting over to put the Rams in the lead late in the second half.
MATCHFACTS
THUNDER
14 Maxime Rostang
2 Andy Djeukessi
1 Myles Harrison
25 Jack Smith
5 Brad Ward
27 Jordan Lipp
6 Cody Hunter
10 Ryan Jackson
9 Taylor Pemberton
15 Brenden Santi
24 Matty Foster
12 Noah Whittingham
11 Harvey Reynolds
Subs (all used)
29 Sean Croston
16 Leo Tennison
19 Jack Brown
28 Tyler Walton
Tries: Hunter (18), Djeukessi (29), Ward (34), Croston (39), Santi (46)
Goals: Harrison 4/6
RAMS
1 Craig McShane
5 Liam Copland
29 Bailey O’Connor
4 George Senior
2 Tom Delaney
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
8 Luke Nelmes
9 Jack McShane
28 Jamie Gill
11 Joe Summers
23 Brad Graham
16 Louis Collinson
Subs (all used)
14 Jacob Parkinson
13 Declan Tomlinson
17 Harvey Roberts
20 Valu Tanē Bentley
Tries: J McShane (5, 78), Parkinson (37), Collinson (58), Graham (61), Nelmes (72)
Goals: Hookem 7/7
Sin bin: Coates (23) – high tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-8, 4-8, 10-8, 16-8, 16-14, 20-14; 22-14, 28-14, 28-20, 28-26, 28-32, 28-38
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Thunder: Brenden Santi; Rams: Jack McShane
Penalty count: 9-13
Half-time: 20-14
Referee: Luke Bland