DEWSBURY RAMS 6 NEWCASTLE THUNDER 56
ALEXANDER FYNN, FLAIR Stadium, Saturday

NEWCASTLE ensured Dewsbury could not give Paul Sykes the perfect send-off as he brought the curtain down on 28 seasons in Rugby League – eleven of which had been with his hometown club.

Championship top-scorer Brad Ward was Thunder’s star man, running in five of the visitors’ eleven tries as they laid a strong platform ahead of the play-offs.

Newcastle saw plenty of early possession, opening the scoring with just six minutes on the clock when Harvey Reynolds’ neat pass sent Ward diving into the corner.

Myles Harrison could not convert, but was on target with his first of six successful attempts from the tee 10 minutes later when Jordan Lipp fed Reynolds to power over off the back of a Will Roberts 40/20.

Thunder continued to show plenty of threat with the ball, soon posting more points.

After being awarded a repeat set close to the line, some quick passing sent George Birch over out wide before Ward found Reynolds, who proved too strong for Monty Lumb as he escaped the hooker’s tackle to dot down. Harrison converted.

Dewsbury brought themselves onto the board just less than five minutes before the interval when Bailey O’Connor fended off three Newcastle defenders to score in the corner.

Sykes superbly added the extras on his farewell appearance to cut the gap to 20-6 at the break, but that was as good as it got for the hosts.

Both sides had chances in a lively opening to the second half, but it was the visitors who restored their 20-point advantage when Jude Ferreira reeled in Roberts’ overhead pass before flying over out wide.

Things went from bad to worse for the Rams two minutes later, with Mitch Clark holding off three would-be tacklers as he powered over from close range before Ward widened the scoreline with a further four tries in a blistering 15-minute spell to take his season tally to 34.

First, he profited from Lipp’s bursting run through the Dewsbury defence, before completing his hat-trick after a neat show of hands.

Ward’s fourth try proved a carbon copy, and he collected his five-fer with nine minutes remaining after a neat interchange of passes with Lipp, who did well to find his winger as he was tackled by Liam Copland.

Harrison had the final word on the stroke of full-time after charging over from close range, but veteran prop Ukuma Ta’ai could not convert in the final action of the game.

GAMESTAR: Brad Ward’s five tries spearheaded a dominant Newcastle display.

GAMEBREAKER: Ward’s hat-trick try killed off any hopes of a Rams comeback. 

MATCHFACTS

RAMS
29 Bailey O’Connor
5 Liam Copland
27 Connor Carr
4 George Senior
2 Tom Delaney
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
8 Luke Nelmes
21 Monty Lumb
18 Jack Briggs
15 Jacob Bateman
11 Joe Summers
35 Danny Addy
Subs (all used)
13 Dec Tomlinson
14 Jacob Parkinson
26 Paul Sykes
30 Finnley Thompson

Tries: O’Connor (35)
Goals: Sykes 1/1

THUNDER
1 Myles Harrison
4 Jude Ferreira
34 George Birch
11 Harvey Reynolds
5 Brad Ward
27 Jordan Lipp
7 Will Roberts
10 Ryan Jackson
22 John Sagaga
15 Brendan Santi
8 Bailey Atrobus
12 Noah Whittingham
17 King Vuniyayawa
Subs (all used)
18 Ukuma Ta’ai
20 Mitch Clark
26 Kieran Hudson
33 Alfie Horwell

Tries: Ward (6, 57, 66, 69, 71), Reynolds (16, 32), Birch (20), Ferreira (50), Clark (52), Harrison (80)
Goals: Harrison 6/10, Ta’ai 0/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 0-14, 0-20, 6-20; 6-26, 6-32, 6-38, 6-42, 6-46, 6-52, 6-56

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rams: Paul Sykes; Thunder: Brad Ward

Penalty count: 5-11
Half-time: 6-20
Referee: Freddie Lincoln