Recap
Hunslet recovered from an early fright to ease into the fourth round of the Coral Challenge Cup.
The Betfred League One leaders trailed early on against their National Conference Division Two opponents and were only 20-10 ahead at the break, but a dominant second half performance secured their place in Tuesday’s draw.
It was a mixed afternoon for the Parksiders’ right-winger Marcus Webb who was sin-binned in the first half – maintaining Hunslet’s record of at least one yellow card in every game this season – but finished with a hat-trick of tries.
The visitors went ahead after two minutes when Richard Lumb crossed and Harry Williams added the conversion, but tries by Nathan Chappell, Jack Lee, Webb and Josh Tonks, plus two goals from Reece Dean, seemed to have put Hunslet in command.
Bowling took advantage of Webb’s yellow card, for lashing out, to add their second try, by Joe Hammond, on the stroke of half-time, but Hunslet did a more professional, disciplined job in the second half as the community club tired. Three tries in seven minutes, Tom Ashton going over twice and Cain Southernwood capping a strong display with a touchdown, ended any prospect of a shock.
Tonks scored his second after a spell of pressure by West Bowling and Hunslet scored at will in the closing stages with Southernwood running on to Dean’s kick for a well-worked try before Webb bagged a late double to complete his hat-trick. Reece Dean converted only two of Hunslet’s first six tries before finding his range and finishing with six goals from 11 attempts.
Prop Adam Robinson impressed for Hunslet who gave a debut to young forward Jon Luke Kirby, on loan from Huddersfield Giants.
