HUNSLET 6 BATLEY BULLDOGS 40
PHIL CAPLAN, South Leeds Stadium, Sunday
BATLEY scored seven tries as they picked up a first win since June.
While all the focus is on those looking to get out of the Championship, the bottom two – who still don’t know if they have anything to play for in the remainder of 2025 – battled on, the Bulldogs in charge from the end of the first quarter.
Hunslet were victorious at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium earlier in the year, but have still to win at home this season.
The hosts, with Lee Gaskell prominent, enjoyed earlier dominance but couldn’t make it pay, their confidence gradually draining.
Hunslet showed their intent on the opening set, Gaskell setting Coby Nichol free, but the former kicked long to give away a seven-tackle set.
A Batley hand prevented Hunslet scoring on the left, Brad Clavering and Keelan Foster prominent in the move, and a long Gaskell pass couldn’t release Nichol.
The game turned when Batley knocked on around their own 30. Ethan Wood was held up and Finley Balback grubbered to the in-goal but Jimmy Watson couldn’t ground in the field of play.
Lucas Walshaw led the charge on the seven-tackle set and Ollie Greensmith was just held up after a strong run.
Nichol lost possession cheaply on his own 30 and Robbie Butterworth, Ben White and Elliot Kear shipped the ball right for Joe Burton to go over in the corner after 23 minutes.
Batley grew into the contest aided by more home mistakes, and on the last, Kear chipped to the left, Billy Jowitt fumbled and former Hunslet winger Jack Render gathered to go in by the posts, with Butterworth kicking the first of six straight conversions.
Batley dominated up the middle, while Hunslet’s Sam Ackroyd sustained a nasty-looking knee injury.
The Leeds side turned over possession on the halfway line at the start of the second period and on the last tackle, Butterworth’s kick ricocheted off Foster for White to gather and score by the posts.
The home side were caught offside from the kick-off and, with Alistair Leak speeding up the play the ball, Luke Cooper powered over.
Matty Fletcher fumbled on his own ten but Hunslet held out a Noah High charge. Jowitt led the rearguard with a fine break and sent the impressive Lloyd McEwan-Peters into a gap before Gaskell teed up Liam Carr to cross. Jowitt goaled.
Batley responded, and from a scrum, Kear crabbed to the right and Burton easily claimed his second on an inside run.
Then Butterworth and Kear with fine passes released Greensmith, who sent Render past Jowitt to complete his double and confirm Batley’s second-half dominance.
Hunslet failed to gather in Leak’s looped pass and Butterworth’s fine ball sent Dane Manning powering over.
GAMESTAR: Robbie Butterworth’s excellent pass selection kept Batley rolling forward.
GAMEBREAKER: Two Bulldogs tries at the start of the second half took the game away from Hunslet.
MATCHFACTS
HUNSLET
4 Billy Jowitt
23 Jack Rampton
1 Jimmy Watson
20 Lloyd McEwan-Peters
21 Coby Nichol
38 Lee Gaskell
42 Finley Balback
8 Harvey Hallas
10 Matty Fletcher
17 Keelan Foster
11 Ethan Wood
19 Liam Welham
18 Brad Clavering
Subs (all used)
41 Sam Ackroyd
15 Liam Carr
22 Harrison Gilmore
31 Kevin Larroyer
Tries: Carr (57)
Goals: Jowitt 1/1
BULLDOGS
5 Elliot Kear
2 Joe Burton
– Connor Carr
3 Ollie Greensmith
19 Jack Render
1 Robbie Butterworth
6 Ben White
8 Adam Gledhill
14 Brandon Moore
13 James Brown
11 Dane Manning
12 Lucas Walshaw
17 Luke Blake
Subs (all used)
9 Alistair Leak
31 Noah High
15 Nyle Flynn
10 Luke Cooper
Tries: Burton (23, 65), Render (29, 72), White (44), Cooper (47), Manning (78)
Goals: Butterworth 6/7
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10; 0-16, 0-22, 6-22, 6-28, 6-34, 6-40
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hunslet: Lloyd McEwan-Peters; Bulldogs: Robbie Butterworth
Penalty count: 3-5
Half-time: 0-10
Referee: Kevin Moore
Attendance: 855