Rams defeat Batley to pick of first win of season

James Glover was the Rams star as he scored 16 points from a try and six goals, while Tom Hemingway also had a terrific game at hooker.

Batley were out of sorts as errors on attacks meant they were never really able to put the Rams under pressure and were restricted to a solitary Mikey Hayward try.

Dewsbury made a brilliant start as they were 8-0 up before Batley had touched the ball.

Dewsbury were marched downfield with back to back penalties and the second allowed Glover to hammer over a second minute penalty.

Hemingway then turned the Batley defence with a 40-20 kick and from the resulting attack, Dewsbury moved left and Josh Guzdek produced a lovely delayed pass to send Dale Morton down the wing and he dived in at the corner.

Glover landed a terrific touchline goal.

Batley tried to hit back and from their first attack Sam Smeaton fed Hayward but the scrambling Rams defence got across to shove him into touch.

Glover slotted over a penalty after Batley were pulled up for ripping the ball and Dewsbury almost grabbed a second try in the 19th minute as Tony Tonks gathered a pass and stormed towards the line.

Tonks looked to barge his way past full-back Dave Scott but was superbly turned on his back before he could ground the ball as Batley survived.

Batley hit back when Pat Walker broke through and sent Hayward over at the right corner and the try was awarded despite Dewsbury claims of obstruction in the build up.

Excellent Rams defence repelled back to back sets close to their line before mounting an attack at the other end.

Hemingway again kicked to the in-goal area but the ball appeared to roll dead.

As Scott looked for a quick re-start, he was pulled back when a touch judge intervened and awarded a Bulldogs drop out.

From the resulting Rams attack they again moved left and Glover forced his way over wide out, with the centre landing another towering touchline goal for a 16-4 half-time lead.

The second half was a scrappy affair, littered by penalties and interruptions.

Glover extended the Rams lead with a 52nd minute penalty before Batley replied with a spell of sustained pressure.

The Rams defence were up to the task as Shaun Ainscough was shoved into touch in goal by four Rams defenders before he could ground the ball.

A sixth Glover goal extended the Rams lead to 20-4 before Batley were put on a team warning as the penalty count mounted.

Frustrations boiled over the final minute as Adam Gledhill (Batley) and Dominic Speakman (Dewsbury) were sin-binned for their part in a brawl.

The final hooter was greeted with delight by Rams players and supporters as they claimed the bragging rights and two precious league points in Neil Kelly’s first game in charge as head coach.

Dewsbury Rams: Guzdek; Alex Brown, Aaron Brown, Glover, Morton; Speakman, Kain; Stringer, Hemingway, Teanby, Walshaw, Senior, Douglas. Subs: Ward, Sheriffe, Igbinedion, Tonks.

Batley Bulldogs: Scott; Hayward, Smeaton, Hallett, Ainscough; Walker, Holmes; Gledhill, Leak, Rowe, Day, Farrell, Manning. Subs: Davey, Lillycrop, Bretherton, J Brown.

Referee: Andy Sweet.

Attendance: 1,211.