Sheffield Eagles 22 Dewsbury Rams 10: Tough start continues for Rams

Championship: Dewsbury Rams' difficult transition to the Championship continued when they were edged out at Sheffield Eagles
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Mar 2010, 23:22 BST
Updated 19th Mar 2010, 23:23 BST

A dour game was decided by a late second try for Eagles' centre Tangi Ropati to give Sheffield their first win of the season. Dewsbury had to settle for their second losing bonus point.

Both teams struggled to assume control but Dewsbury took the lead when scrum-half Patrick Walker burst in at the angle onto a short pass and touched down before adding the goal.

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Eagles hit back with prop Mitch Stringer taking Craig Cook's pass from dummy half to twist over the line near the posts. Stringer added the goal.

Eagles edged ahead when a suspiciously forward pass from Dane McDonald sent in Tangi Ropati before Patrick Walker's chip to the corner was pounced on by Steward Sanderson to level the scores, although a penalty in front of the posts by Ropati a minute from the break gave the Eagles a 12-10 lead.

Eagles took advantageof Andrew Bostock's sin-binning for a late tackle with Dane McDonald going over.

The crucial score came seven minutes from time when Ropati finished a move by Cook and Matty Brooks for his second try.

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Sheffield Eagles: Woodcock; Thackeray, Yere, Ropati, Taulapapa; Lindsay, McDonald; Haley, Cook, Stringer, Szostak, Green, Hirst. Substitutes: Brooks, Barlow, Exton, Burnett.

Dewsbury Rams: Haynes; Powell, Faal, Turner Sanderson; Brambani, Patrick Walker; England, Blake, Lockwood, Bostock, Lunt. Substitutes: Stenchion, Robinson, Hughes, Smith.

Referee: J Leahey (RFL).

UNBEATEN Featherstone Rovers will claim top spot tonight if they win at Barrow Raiders.

Coach Daryl Powell said: "It will be a tight game but the mentality and the willingness to work for each other is there."

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Promoted Keighley Cougars are also in action searching for their first Championship victory when they face Toulouse in France, while tomorrow Halifax entertain Hunslet Hawks with the winners securing the last remaining place in the Northern Rail Cup quarter-final draw.

York City Knights host South Wales Scorpions and Doncaster travel to Swinton Lions in Championship One.

Related topics:Sheffield EaglesDewsbury RamsSheffieldFeatherstone Rovers