Batley Bulldogs 24 Halifax 34: Batley battle hard but are unable to deny Halifax due reward

Although Batley scored first when winger Ian Preece jumped smartly to take a high kick from Paul Handforth it was one-way traffic from that point in the first half.

Forward Dominic Maloney got Halifax on the road with two smart tries in a matter of eight minutes and after that it seemed that every time Batley made a mistake they were made to pay.

Missed passes and faulty kicks to touch led to Halifax halfbacks Ben Black and Luke Brannigan oiling a remorseless attacking machine which saw David Wrench, Shad Royston and Brannigan power over for tries.

Lee Paterson converted four and then added a 60-metre penalty to give Halifax a 30-6 interval lead.

It looked as though the pattern was to continue when Bob Beswick sent Brannigan over for his second try within minutes of the re-start but suddenly Batley showed poise and purpose.

The extra determination was rewarded by Ash Lindsay's touchdown and full-back Jonny Campbell benefited from slicing runs from Mark Toohey and Kris Lythe to race over for two tries in six minutes.

Scrum-half Gareth Moore added four goals to Batley's second-half recovery which brought some respectability but was never quite enough to warrant the league points.

Batley Bulldogs: Campbell; Preece, Toohey, Maun, Greenwood; Handforth, Moore; Potter, Lythe, Hesketh, Buttery, Walton, Lindsay. Substitutes (all used) Wood, T Gallagher, Toothill, Martin.

Halifax: Royston; Paterson, Goddard, Haley, Worrincy; Brannigan, Black; Aizue, Penkywicz, Maloney, Larder, Wrench, Gene. Substitutes (all used): Beswick, Gleeson, Tamghart, Watene.

Referee: Ronnie Laughton.

Halifax have signed a new one-year shirt sponsorship for this season with Yorkshire-based Simple Caravan Insurance.

Injured Mark Calderwood will miss tonight's Super League trip to former club Wigan.

The Hull FC winger picked up a groin injury in the win over Castleford but should be fit for the visit of Bradford next Friday.

Former Castleford Tigers winger Waine Pryce will make his Hunslet debut tonight at home to Oldham in Championship One.

Second row Paul Clough will lead out St Helens on his 100th appearance for his home-town club when they face Crusaders tonight at Knowsley Road.

St Helens coach Mick Potter has warned his side not to be wary of Crusaders despite their eight-try mauling by Warrington.