Halifax and Sheffield Eagles have both registered important victories so far this weekend to maintain their challenge for the top four places in the Kingstone Press Championship.
Halifax survived a stern challenge from Hunslet Hawks on Friday night at the South Leeds Stadium to turn a 6-0 half-time deficit into an 8-14 victory, thanks to second-half tries from Dane Manning and Ben Johnston, with Steve Tyrer adding both conversions and a penalty.
In the first half Hunslet had taken the lead with a 75-metre try by speedster Richie Barnett, with Jordan Lilley adding the conversion.
After Halifax had equalised early in the second half, Lilley added a second goal from a penalty, but Halifax’s late surge saw them move into fourth place in the Championship table ahead of Dewsbury.
Sheffield Eagles consolidated their third place in the table with a 26-16 victory over Whitehaven, although the win wasn’t as comfortable as they may have expected in a game with a high number of penalty calls, and it required Misi Taulapapa to score his second try in the final ten minutes to assure the Eagles of a victory that looks likely to secure their place in the top four.
Earlier they had scored tries from Quentin Laulu-Togagae, Kyle Briggs, Taulapapa and Scott Turner, with Briggs adding three goals.
Whitehaven had been behind 16-4 at half-time, but shocked the Eagles with two tries in the second half from Scott McAvoy, both goaled by Louis Jouffret, to draw level.
Hunslet Hawks 8 Halifax 14
Hawks: T – Barnett (17); G – Lilley 2/2
Fax: T – Manning (42) Johnston (74); G – Tyrer 3/3
Half-time: 6-0 Attendance 1,061, played Friday
Sheffield Eagles 26 Whitehaven 16
Haven: T – Calvert (24), McAvoy (46, 58); G – Jouffret 2/3
Half-time 16-4 Attendance 503, played Saturday at Castle Park, Doncaster
