Hunslet Hawks 22 Sheffield Eagles 28: Eagles soar to top of the table after Hawks are held back

Both sides deserved credit for their efforts in the heavy conditions, but Sheffield built a 20-0 lead before Hunslet halved their opponents’ lead by half-time.

Menzie Yere, the Papua New Guinea international centre, collected his 22nd and 23rd tries of the season in the opening 24 minutes, both converted by Dom Brambini. Yere’s co-centre Tom Armstrong slid over for the third try and when winger Scott Turner gathered Brambini’s cross-field kick to score in the corner it was beginning to look easy.

But the dual-registered Jimmy Keinhorst raced away down the right to score Hunslet’s first try and winger Lee Mapals had his try converted by Luke Helliwell to send the Hawks in at half-time with fresh hope. Spirits rose even higher when substitute Scott Watson reached Thomas Coyle’s kick to the line first and Helliwell’s kick reduced the deficit to four points.

Yere was denied his hat-trick when he was tackled over the line on his back, but livewire full-back Quentin Lala Togagae, who was a threat whenever he joined the line, got the Eagles back on course with two tries in four minutes, both improved by Bambini.

Sheffield forward Duane Straugheir collected his side’s seventh touchdown, Brambini landing his fifth goal before Keinhorst’s second try gave the scoreline a little more respectability.

Hunslet Hawks: J Watson; Mapals, Keinhorst, Welham, Pryce; Coyle, Helliwell; Yates, Hood, Haley, Houston, Haughey, March. Substitutes: Windley, S Watson, Menzies, Achurch.

Sheffield Eagles: Togagae; Finigan, Armstrong, Yere, Turner; Walker, Brambini; Battye, Henderson, Stringer, Straugheir, Garside, Hirst. Substitutes: Davey, Gledhill, Szostak, Green.

Referee: G Stokes (RFL).