Hunslet Hawks 44 Rochdale Hornets 8: Hunslet triumph with Clayton's try hat-trick

Fresh from their shock Northern Rail Cup win at Halifax, Hunslet built an 18-4 lead.

Tommy Haughey and Dave Clayton scored converted tries in the corner before Rochdale winger Craig Johnson finished off a slick passing for a try which Liam McGovern failed to improve.

Richard Knight converted his own try to get the Hawks back on track and when Neil Lowe made a superb break, Stuart Kain supported well to dive over in the right corner.

Hunslet player-coach Paul March repeatedly pushed Rochdale back with his accurate kicking, while winger Michael Mark took some stopping with his strong running.

Nine minutes after the break Clayton scored a magnificent individual try with a diagonal run covering 30 metres for his second touchdown of the afternoon, Knight landing the goal from wide out.

Damien Reid countered with Hornets' second unimproved try but Hunslet remained the more impressive side and from March's grubber-kick, Waine Pryce celebrated his return from injury with a try, Knight again landing the difficult kick in a gusting wind.

Clayton completed his hat-trick and Danny Grimshaw grabbed Hunslet's eighth try, Knight converting Grimshaw's touchdown to secure a deserved victory.

Hunslet: Kain, Mark, J. Oakes, Clayton, Pryce, Grimshaw, P. March, Sullivan, Chapman, Houston, Knight, Dooler, Haughey. Substitutes: Woodcock, Lowe, Wabo, Helme.

Rochdale: English, Johnson, Bowman, Reid, Fagborun, Donoghue, McGovern, Raftery, Wood, Hayes, Samuels, Ashall, Smith. Substitutes: Gorton, Hobson, Cookson, Cocker.

Referee: R Hicks (RFL)