Potts reaps rewards as Batley thrash Hunslet

The Bulldogs had knocked the Hawks out of the Challenge Cup, just managing to withstand a determined home fightback the last time the teams met, but this time John Kear’s merciless men were never in any danger.

Four tries in 11 minutes saw Batley take control to end an opening 19 minutes of stalemate.

The rush of tries began when centre Danny Maun shrugged off David Clayton’s attempted tackle to score on the left.

Full-back Ian Preece took a smart inside pass from half-back Ben Black for the second touchdown and long-distance tries by Potts and co-winger Alex Brown quickly followed.

Hunslet, for whom Australian forward Ryan Benjafield left the bench for his first game since recovering from a rib injury and Tommy Haughey made his second debut on his return from York, struggled to break down Batley’s well-organised defence and trailed 20-0 at half-time.

Maun was denied his second try when he failed to ground the ball but almost immediately Brown gathered Moore’s kick to the corner for his second touch-down as Batley remained in the ascendancy.

Jimmy Grehan was rewarded for some powerful forward play with a try under the posts, Potts raced through Hunslet’s tiring defence for three more in a blistering 20-minute spell and Gareth Moore finished up with six conversions as error-ridden Hunslet were emphatically nilled.

Hunslet Hawks: Hodgson; Davies, Clayton, Nathaniel, Brickwood; McLocklan, Smith; Yates, Haigh, Henderson, Haughey, Oakes, March. Substitutes: Lowe, Dooler, Blakeway, Benjafield.

Batley Bulldogs: Preece; Potts, Walton, Maun, Brown; Black, Moore; Smith, Mennell, Potter, Bretherton, Grehan, Applegarth. Substitutes: Palfrey, Hirst, Walmsley, Lythe.

Referee: D Merrick (Pontefract).