Newcastle Thunder 52 Hunslet 6
Hunslet had a torrid afternoon in the North-east against an inform Newcastle Thunder at Blaydon RUFC, but after good performances in recent weeks against Barrow and London The Parksiders were definitely under par and missed key men in Lee Gaskell, Myles Harrop and Harvey Hallas.
Thunder are a different proposition now, taking Full-time loan players from York, but after beating Newcastle at South Leeds back in April today was a different story.
Mo Agoro was a welcome sight back in the team and made an early break, but it took Alfie Goddard to stop former Hunslet man Jude Ferreira from opening the scoring.
On 7 minutes Jordan Lipp did open the scoring with a fortunate try for Newcastle, although Hunslets defence rushed up the ball was batted out and Lipp controlled to score. Harrison converting 6-0
Although Hunslet attacked Billy Jowitt’s kick was a touch strong and on 15 minutes luck was on Thunders side again as a kick took a cruel bounce for Noah Whittingham to score. 12-0
Hunslet broke down the right through Charlie Graham, but as Graham was tackled his pass to Agoro went astray and the chance was gone.
Newcastle were reduced to 12 men on 20 minutes as Djeukessi was sin-binned, but Hunslet couldn’t break them down. Pauli Pauli went close, but too often that killer ball was missing.
On 27 minutes though Hunslet found a way. Good passing set up Pauli Pauli who fed Billy Jowitt on the inside to score a good try. Jowitt converting 12-6
With a man short Newcastle started making basic errors and with Eddie Battye superb for Hunslet the game looked to be on a knife edge.
But after a Hunslet attack broke down Newcastle came up the pitch through Ferreira, and although he was stopped Dan Abram was sin-binned and from being on the front foot Hunslet were hanging on for the break.
When Hunslet failed to make an easy touch kick Thunder looked to score, but in the end kicked an easy penalty by Harrison after a late tackle to lead at the break 14-6.
Nothing in it, but Hunslet had to start the first 4 minutes of the second half a man light.
With Abram about to come back on 43 minutes Nikau Williams stepped inside to score just as Mackenzie Turner also had to leave the field injured. 20-6
4 minutes later and Lipp went through too easily from a scrum. 26-6 and an uphill task for Hunslet.
Hunslet were still keen to play expansive football, but were getting cut up through the middle. Bailey Antrobus finished a good move on 55 minutes and Will Roberts scored off a break 4 minutes later. 36-6
Lipp put in a slide rule kick for Roberts on 63 minutes to make it 42-6, before an Ethan O’Hanlon charge broke down only for Newcastle to pick up the loose ball and hit through 3 pairs of hands before Jordan Lipp completed his hat trick. 46-6
Justin Sangare completed the rout on 76 minutes with Myles Harrison finishing with 7 conversions. 52-6
Newcastle were a different beast in the second half, not mistake ridden like the first 40, but Hunslet lacked attacking guile when they were on top missing Lee Gaskell.
Eddie Battye was superb, whilst Billy Jowitt and Pauli Pauli were a handful, Hunslet will hope they can get Gaskell, Harrop, Turner and Hallas fit for the visit of Salford next week.
NEWCASTLE THUNDER – Lipp, Djeukessi, Ferreira, Harrison, Ward, Williams, Roberts, Sangare, Pemberton, Santi, Whittingham, Antrobus, Cook, Jackson, Clark, Ta-ai, Smith.
HUNSLET – Jowitt, Turner, Goddard, Graham, Agoro, Ward, Abram, Baldwinson, Berry, O’Hanlon, Gilmore, Carr, Battye, Tydeman, Walker, Atkinson, Pauli Pauli, Elijah Simpson.
