Dewsbury Rams 16 Halifax 30: Penkywicz inspires Halifax fightback after coming off the bench to stun Dewsbury

The dummy half injected real purpose into a side that had been labouring and looked directionless in the early stages.

He scored his side’s first try then created two more with kicks for Paul White as Matt Calland’s side got the victory they needed in their continuing bid to reach the play-offs.

It had been far from certain after a poor opening quarter in which the Rams scored a couple of tries – and might have had more.

Dewsbury provided the early threat with Richard Fletcher releasing Scott Turner on the left and it took a fine covering tackle from Miles Greenwood to force the centre into touch

William Bartau sent Ayden Faal over for a try on the right which Pat Walker converted for 6-0.

And a couple of minutes later when Ryan Fieldhouse and Stephen Bannister went into a tackle on Faal that was deemed high as Walker slotted a 40-yard penalty to increase the Rams’ advantage, while also adding the conversion to full-back James Craven’s try.

Halifax were given a let off when they failed to deal with a Bartau kick and Walker strolled through to touch down. Fortunately he started his stroll from an offside position according to the officials.

The visitors finally got their act together in attack five minutes before the break when, after good strong running from Stephen Bannister and Sam Barlow, Penkywicz went from dummy half and squeezed over. Danny Jones was unable to convert.

Penkywicz’s influence from the bench increased a minute before the break when he popped a perfectly weighted kick to the left hand corner for Paul White to collect and touch down. Jones converted.

Successive penalties for interference from Rob Worrincy and Jones gave Walker the chance to put Dewsbury 16-10 in front with a 30-yard goal.

When Miles Greenwood was held down too long in the tackle after 54 minutes it gave Fax the chance to level things up, Bob Beswick forcing his way over and Jones converting for 16-16.

Halifax hit the front for the first time in the game just past the hour and it was the Penkywicz-White combination that did the damage again, the dummy half kicking 30 yards from the line and the winger racing through to touch down.

Jones goaled and added a penalty to make it 24-16.

And they made the game completely safe with three minutes remaining when, after good work from Penkywicz, whose kick was played at by the Rams defence, and Beswick, Barlow crashed over from close range.

Jones kicked his fifth goal to complete the scoring.

Dewsbury: Craven, Wainwright, Turner, Faal, Buchanan, Barthau, Brambani, Hirst, Blake, Lockwood, Fletcher, Cosgrove, P. Walker. Substitutes: England, Tonks, Smith, Menzies.

Halifax: Greenwood, White, Haley, Fieldhouse, Worrincy, Jones, Black, Gannon, Beswick, Cherryholme, Chandler, Bannister, S. Barlow. Substitutes: Nash, Penkywicz, Aizue, Ostick.

Referee: M Thomasson (RFL).