Recap
After knocking Oxford out of the Challenge Cup last week in a convincing 68-6 victory the heavy score gave the Hawks the confidence to travel to Iffley Road and return home with all three points. However a lack lustre second half saw them face some late pressure and made the game a much closer affair. A 46-20 score line secured Eaton’s side their second win in the league and kept them securely third in the league just 3 weeks in.
However this win came at a cost after only 12 minutes both George Clarke & Michael Haley had to leave the field and look to be ruled out for a number of weeks with leg and hamstring injuries respectively.
A slow start to the game, the teams were testing each other out but neither side turned their opportunities into points. An almost identical squad picked from last week and the similar centre wing partnership of Mapals and Watson finally clicked. Watson gave a perfectly timed pass for Mapals to finish off. Kain slotted straight back into his place at fullback after missing out last week and his famously quick restarts were catching the home side out. His penalty tap found its way back to him after being passed across the field and he pushed over in the corner. Grimshaw missed out on a try when the officials called the play in the build up to be crossing, but the visitors regained possession and Andy Ballard sliced the line open to touch it down and convert his own adding another 6 points.
The Hunslet outfit supported their aggressive attack with strong defence. Maun and Reed were solid and had no problems in slowing down the Oxford side. The Hawks were dominating and two tries followed in quick succession. March danced in and out of players before crossing the whitewash and Oakes crashed over for one under the posts. The home side suffered the final blow on the hooter when Coyle kicked the ball down field from a scrum and Andy Ballard sprinted after it gave it a final kick forward before diving on it to award the Hawks a halftime score off 34-0.
The Hunslet outfit suffered from the officials whistle early on, the ill-discipline proved enough to grant Jordan Rice a try when he bundled over just a few minutes into the half. Mapals replied with a try of his own, latching onto an important Grimshaw pass he placed it over the line. The game seemed to be slowly slipping out of the visitor’s grip a forced pass almost on the line fell into the hands of Michael Crabtree who raced home for Oxford.
Thomas Coyle then had to leave the field as did Andy Ballard leaving the Hawks with no fit substitutes; Coyle’s injury looked the more serious. Heading into the final 20 minutes it was getting hard for the visitors who visibly tired. The game changed hands once again, as skipper March, forced his way over from dummy half for his second. Mapals took over kicking duties from an injured Andy Ballard he was forced into taking two conversions as the referee awarded an 8 point try for a foul on March in the act of scoring. The Oxford side seemed irritated and had no time to relax as Lyons and Broughton were causing trouble on either side trying their hardest to break through. However the immaculate defence from the first half had deteriorated in the second half and the Hawks conceded two more try’s before the final hooter.
An outstanding first half but disappointing second but with several players playing out of position and with injuries galore the boys did well to hang on for the win. Hopefully much more consistency next week as we face the London Skolars at the South Leeds Stadium.
Hope to see you all there.
Hunslet RLFC Line up
1. Stuart Kain
Sponsored by: Beth Hampshire
2. Lee Mapals
Sponsored by: Leeds Bacon Company Ltd
3. Jimmy Watson
4. Danny Maun
Sponsored by: Norty Forty
5. Andrew Ballard
Sponsored by: Barry & Norma Harding
6. Danny Grimshaw
7. Thomas Coyle
Sponsored by: Yorkshire Signs
8. George Clarke
Sponsored by: Bartercard
9. David March
Sponsored by: A & R Construction
10. Michael Haley
11. John Oakes
Sponsored by: Leeds Bacon Company Ltd
12. Brooke Broughton
13. Liam Mackay
14. Matthew Tebb
15. Lewis Reed
16. James Davies
Sponsored by: Elliott & Ewan Green
17. Aaron Lyons
Sponsored by: Linda Hemingway
Timeline
00:11 Lee Mapals Try
00:11 Andrew Ballard Goal
00:22 Andrew Ballard Goal
00:22 Stuart Kain Try
00:27 Andrew Ballard Try
00:27 Andrew Ballard Goal
00:32 David March Try
00:32 Andrew Ballard Goal
00:36 John Oakes Try
00:36 Andrew Ballard Goal
00:40 Andrew Ballard Try
00:53 Lee Mapals Try
01:10 David March Try
01:10 Lee Mapals Goal
01:10 Lee Mapals Goal