Batley Bulldogs claim Boxing Day honours over Dewsbury Rams

BATLEY BULLDOGS 36 DEWSBURY RAMS 16
KEITH McGHIE, Fox’s Biscuits Stadium, Boxing Day

HEAVY Woollen Distict bragging rights will remain with Batley after the Championship side retained the Roy Powell Trophy with an accomplished six-try display at a well-attended lunchtime Boxing Day derby.

And with Dewsbury now demoted to League One, cup ties notwithstanding, they are likely to remain at Mount Pleasant until the annual festive battle in a year’s time.

Both coaches were deservedly satisfied with a game which swung towards the Bulldogs after a bright start from the Rams.

Batley boss Mark Moxon commented: “We started slow but as we progressed towards the back end of the game I was really happy with the way we went.

Dewsbury Moor back-row forward Kieren Hepworth shone among a sprinkling of new faces and Moxon acknowledged: “We got reports in the off-season that he has been playing really well, with a strong carry and really strong contact in D.

“He was very impressive when he got on and did the things we’ve seen him do in the amateur game.

“Dane Manning and Lucas Walshaw are among our most consistent performers, while young Jonah Parsons was excellent and is going to cause me a welcome (selection) headache.”

Paul March, in the opposite dug-out, was also upbeat and pointed out: “It was a good hit-out and I thought we controlled the game for much of the first half until we got tired and went away from what we wanted to do.

“Phase one of pre-season is now over and we’ve got two tough friendlies against Bradford and Featherstone to look forward to.”

The Bulldogs gave debuts to winter newcomers Joe Arundel, Ollie Greensmith, Samy Kibula, Luca Atkinson and Hepworth but backs Elliot Kear (work commitments), recent acquisition Jack Render and Robbie Butterworth (hand injury) were all forced to sit out the annual festive clash.

For Dewsbury, Sam Day (head knock in pre-season) and Will Shaw (ankle ligaments) were missing, while newcomers Tommy Brierley, Caelum Jordan, George Senior (from Batley), Dan Coates, Toby Everett, Harvey Roberts, Anthony Boardman and Charlie Harris all got their first run-outs.

The visitors made the more impressive start and led 10-0 midway through the opening half.

A well-worked opening score involved good crisp handling to the left, leading to Keenan Tomlinson’s perfect looped pass back inside for Coates to touchdown with Jacob Hookem converting.

Lucas Walshaw almost responded immediately with a strong run to within a metre of the line. Alfie Dean also went close before the Rams struck again – Brierley finishing off another fine handling move, this time to the right.

Dean was the next winger to find himself clear and posted a welcome response for the Bulldogs, as Josh Woods made good use of pre-match kicking practice to add a touchline conversion – his first of six often difficult successful kicks.

Walshaw was held up after good work from Manning, before Ben White scythed through, straight from a scrum, to help put the hosts ahead just before the break, as Woods duly landed his second goal.

Batley extended their lead when Atkinson capitalised on excellent footwork from Hepworth to score.

Hepworth was also involved in Dean’s second try in the lowest corner of the pitch, while Walshaw and Greensmith added further tries and Louis Collinson grabbed a consolation for Dewsbury.

GAMESTAR: The usual strong running and alert display marginally earned Lucas Walshaw the honour from fellow back-rower Dane Manning and a noteable 100 percent kicking display from Josh Woods.

GAMEBREAKER: The four unanswered tries in the opening 30 minutes of the second half eased Batley away from their local rivals.

BULLDOGS
2 Joe Burton
26 Alfie Dean
4 Joe Arundel
12 Lucas Walshaw
3 Ollie Greensmith
6 Ben White
7 Josh Woods
20 Paul Chitakunye
14 Brandon Moore
13 James Brown
11 Dane Manning
15 Nyle Flynn
17 Luke Blake
Subs (all used)
9 Alistair Leak
18 Samy Kibula
16 Michael Ward
21 Kieren Hepworth
23 Jonah Parsons
22 Luca Atkinson

Tries: Dean (26, 59), White (37), Atkinson (51), Walshaw (63), Greensmith (68)
Goals: Woods 6/6

RAMS
25 Louie Walker
2 Tommy Brierley
3 Caelum Jordan
4 George Senior
15 Keenan Tomlinson
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
8 Jackson Walker
21 Joel Russell
13 Declan Tomlinson
11 Joe Summers
21 Matty Garside
16 Louis Collinson
Subs (all used)
14 Luke Mearns
10 Toby Everett
20 Harvey Roberts
– Jack McShane
17 Anthony Boardman
19 Jack Briggs
22 Liam Copland
26 Paul Sykes
1 Charlie Harris