Brave Hawks undone after blitz from Batley proves too much

A storming spell of four tries in 10 second-half minutes saw Batley break the Hunslet threat and march on to victory.

The Bulldogs had built up a 10-0 interval lead thanks to well-worked tries from Alex Bretherton and Craig Potter plus a goal from Paul Handforth, but they appeared to be under a constant threat from Hunslet’s swift changes of play and amazing ability to get the ball out of the tackle.

It looked as though their tactics might pay off when winger Richie Barnett took a long pass from centre David Clayton and raced over for a converted try just six minutes into the second half with the Bulldogs struggling to catch up with play.

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But a storming performance by Batley substitute prop Adam Robinson, backed up by penetrating runs from Byron Smith and Sean Hesketh, forced the visitors on to the backfoot and allowed stand-off Handforth space to work his attacking magic.

His kick towards the corner looked wasteful until winger Jonny Campbell leapt high to collect and raced into the clear to score. Two minutes later, Handforth beat most of the Hunslet side in a curving run to score and three minutes after that the stand-off profited from more Hunslet hesitancy to touch down yet again near the posts.

Minutes later lively scrum-half Paul Mennell scored after a 20-metre angled run and although Hunslet’s man of the match David March crossed the line in the dying stages Batley’s Adam Robinson collected the final try courtesy of a clever Handforth pass. The stand off went on to add his fifth goal.

Batley Bulldogs: Preece, Rettie, D. Williams, Walton, Campbell, Handforth, Mennell, Smith, Lythe, Hesketh, Bretherton, Manning, Lindsey. Substitutes: Hodgson, Toohey, Robinson, Potter.

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Hunslet Hawks: Kain, Kear, Oakes, Clayton, Barnett, Grimshaw, Ratcliffe, Yates, Haigh, Cakacaka, Dooler, Kelly, D. March. Substitutes: McLocklan, Blakeway, Lowe, Houston.

Referee: G Hewer (Whitehaven).