Rivals assume their final positions ahead of play-off campaign

Prop Luke Ambler sealed victory three minutes from time after Halifax looked dead and buried at 20-6 with half an hour remaining.

Karl Harrison’s side, who have already won the Northern Rail Cup this year, will now host sixth-placed Keighley on Thursday night, while Batley must travel to Sheffield Eagles.

Halifax scored first when half- back Anthony Thackeray sent Ambler reaching out to score.

Centre Steve Tyrer kicked the conversion for 6-0, but Batley levelled 10 minutes later, the hugely impressive prop Alex Walmsley wriggling out of a tackle on the goal-line to touchdown.

Scrum-half Gareth Moore kicked the conversion and the Bulldogs scored again three minutes later through Ben Black, with Moore adding a conversion and a penalty for a 14-6 interval lead.

The second half kicked off with an astonishing score from Walmsley, who belied his size with a barnstorming 50-metre charge to the line, Moore’s kick giving Batley a 20-6 advantage.

But Halifax hit back, Makali Aizue charging in, before Ryan Fieldhouse cut the gap to 20-18.

Tyrer’s penalty levelled matters before Ambler’s late winner.

Halifax: Fieldhouse; Worrincy, Paterson, Tyrer, White; Penkywicz, Thackeray; Ambler, Ashall, Aizue, Heaton, Robinson, Gannon. Substitutes: Casey, Tonks, Barlow, Handforth.

Batley Bulldogs: Campbell; Potts, Walton, Maun, Brown; Black, Moore; Smith, Mennell, Green, Bretherton, Applegarth, Lindsay. Substitutes: Wildie, Hirst, A Walmsley, L Walmsley.

Referee: M Thomason (Warrington).