LOCK LANE 10 HUNSLET 50
SAM BROCKSOM, Oak Electrical Community Sport Complex, Saturday
AN exceptional performance from Matty Beharrell, which included two tries and three assists, helped Hunslet to a convincing Challenge Cup victory over NCL Premier Division side Lock Lane.
A brace from new signing Lachlan Hanneghan were two of five first-half tries for the newly-promoted Championship side, who will face Huddersfield in round three.
Lock Lane managed to score two tries in the second half but despite an abundance of effort, it would not be enough to topple Dean Muir’s men, who took command with three tries in the opening quarter of an hour.
For the first, Mackenzie Scurr was on the end of a scrum play on the left edge after Lock Lane knocked the ball on in their own ten metres.
Next, Noah Booth got a great offload away to Mackenzie Turner on the right, setting him free before he cut back inside to pass to Hanneghan for his first of the afternoon.
That gap would be extended as Booth, who was in support of Hanneghan, got himself on the scoresheet. They combined to beat Lock Lane fullback Lewis Price and Beharrell successfully converted for the first time for a 14-point lead after as many minutes.
Hanneghan’s second and a solo effort from Ethan Wood rounded off the first-half scoring. The latter was the pick of the two, after Wood ran 40 metres before fending off Price to score. Beharrell added both conversions to put Hunslet 26-0 in front at half-time.
Paul Couch’s NCL side recovered to get the opening try of the second 40. Multiple errors from Hunslet gave Lock Lane good field position and, after shifting the play right, the strength of centre Connor Wilson meant the Castleford-based outfit would get on the board, and Nathan Fozzard converted.
Any faint hope of a Lock Lane was banished by twenty minutes of Beharrell brilliance. On 46 minutes, his delicate kick was weighted perfectly for Scurr’s second, before intricate passing down the left edge and then back inside got him his first try of the afternoon.
He then created another try as a pass behind to Jimmy Watson allowed the fullback to dive over. Then, to seal the win, the halfback ran in untouched under the sticks.
With all four tries converted by the 30-year-old, Muir’s men had racked up the half-century.
With the game wrapped up with ten minutes left, both sides were feeling the cold conditions. An unlikely error from Beharrell gifted Lock Lane field position and once again they capitalised as winger Brandon Worsley finished off a shift play right for the final points of the game.
GAMESTAR: Matty Beharrell used all of his experience to put on a masterclass for Hunslet, finishing with two tries and three assists.
GAMEBREAKER: Ethan Wood’s solo effort was the final score before the break and took Hunslet’s lead to 26, putting the game to bed.
MATCHFACTS
LOCK LANE
1 Lewis Price
2 Brandon Worsley
3 Connor Wilson
4 Kieran Purdy
5 Lucas Moon
6 Leyton Davies
7 Nathan Fozzard
8 Shaun Pick
9 Calum Butler
10 Chris Siddons
11 Danny Holmes
12 Connor Jordan
13 Dan Maskill
Subs (all used)
14 Lewis Birdsall
15 Tommy Newbould
16 Harry Swan
17 Harvey Kear
Tries: Wilson (42), Worsley (76)
Goals: Fozzard 1/2
HUNSLET
1 Jimmy Watson
2 Mackenzie Scurr
4 Billy Jowitt
30 Noah Booth
5 Mackenzie Turner
6 Lachlan Hanneghan
7 Matty Beharrell
24 Dean Roberts
9 Ross Whitmore
17 Keelan Foster
11 Ethan Wood
19 Liam Welham
13 Jordan Syme
Subs (all used)
8 Harvey Hallas
14 Cam Berry
26 Ethan O’Hanlon
27 Sam Campbell
Tries: Scurr (5, 46), Hanneghan (9, 25), Booth (14), Wood (38), Beharrell (53, 68), Watson (57)
Goals: Beharrell 7/9
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Lock Lane: Connor Wilson; Hunslet: Matty Beharrell
Penalty count: 4-7
Half-time: 0-26
Referee: Carl Hughes
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-8, 0-14, 0-20, 0-26; 6-26, 6-32, 6-38, 6-44, 6-50, 10-50
