A busy Jubilee weekend for the Betfred Championship as round fourteen followed within a few days of an action packed round thirteen with twelve of our sides in action on Sunday afternoon, the remaining game between leaders Featherstone Rovers and the Bradford Bulls being scheduled for Monday night in front of the Premier Sports cameras.
Sunday´s games saw Barrow host Widnes, Batley at home to Workington, and Dewsbury face the remaining Cumbrian side as thew welcomed Whitehaven. Leigh had a tough looking home game against Halifax while the Eagles travelled up the A1 to face Newcastle leaving a long trip up the M1 for London as they went to York.
It was a case of ´so near and yet so far´ for the London Broncos as they lost out at the death against a York side that they had led for most of the game. Bienek and Foster gave the Broncos an early lead by Harris grabbed one back for York. Hoyes scored London´s third before the interval for an 18-6 lead. Thompson and Marsh saw the scores levelled after fifty-two but tries from Macani and Walker once again put the Broncos ahead, leading by 28-18 on the hour mark. Towse picked up two tries in devastating four-minute spell either side of the seventieth minute and Ellis added a penalty goal with three minutes remaining for a 36-28 City Knights lead. Ferreria did score the last try for the visitors, but they lost out by 36-34 after a tremendous effort.
The Batley Bulldogs gave bottom wide Workington a thrashing, keeping them scoreless while running in forty-six points. Gilmore, Morton and Walshaw scored in the first half for 20-0 at the interval with Morton adding another three in the second half along with tries from Hooley and Hodson for the emphatic win.
The nightmare season for the Widnes Vikings continued as the were also thrashed, this time by Championship new boys Barrow as they returned to winning ways. Widnes scored first through Ince, but it was to be their only points of the game as Barrow scored forty-four unanswered points. Ritson, Sammut and Stack all scored in the first forty for an 18-4 half time lead. Sammut and Ritson both scored second tries in the second forty along with Gillan, Costello and Toal. Sammut kicked five goals and Carter one in a comprehensive home win.
Dewsbury´s woes continue as they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Gabriel (2) and Ryder got the Rams off to a great start as the only response to their three tries was one from Bulman as the home side led 18-8 at the interval. But unanswered tries from King, Aiye and Williams, all inside the last twenty minutes, snatched a 26-18 win.
Halifax Panthers never got a look in as they were nilled by a rampant and confident Leigh Centurions. Ferguson (2) and Macdonald scored in the first half for an 18-0 lead, and it was the same again in the second half with a further try from Macdonald and one each for Reynolds and Hignano. All tries were converted for the 36-0 win.
Sheffield Eagles led from the outset against the Newcastle Thunder with tries from Thackeray (2), Guzdek and Chrimes putting them 22-0 ahead before Woods scored for the home side to leave them trailing by sixteen at the interval. Dean gave the Thunder some hope after the restart but a penalty and converted Farrell try put the Eagles into an unassailable 30-12 lead. Halsall grabbed a Thunder consolation before a Thackeray drop-goal made sure that there would be no late dramas in sealing a 31-18 win.
We will bring you a full report tomorrow evening from the Featherstone v. Bradford game, soon after the final hooter.
