Championship and League 1 round-up: Mixed fortunes for Halifax Panthers and Batley Bulldogs in Cumbria while Dewsbury Rams win again

The Raiders, who made the play-offs last year, have had a miserable start to the 2023 campaign with only a solitary point to show for their efforts in the first six outings before today’s clash with Simon Grix’s men.

However, tries from captain Jarrad Stack, Iain Thornley and Jarrod Sammut helped them come off the bottom of the table at the expense of Newcastle Thunder on points difference with this surprising 16-12 win.

The Panthers, without an away league win all season, were without the division’s top try scorer in Lachlan Walmsley, who missed out due to having surgery on a dislocated finger, and they fell behind early on when Stack crashed over after a great pass from Sammut.

Fax responded almost immediately after Ben Tibbs, Walmsley’s replacement, made good ground before the ball was worked to Louis Jouffret who levelled the score.

Brandon Pickersgill, making his debut following his move from table-toppers Featherstone Rovers, then put the Panthers ahead with a neat try but Barrow restored parity before the hooter when Thornley went over before the boot of Sammut successfully kicked a penalty.

Joe Keyes kicked a penalty for the Panthers for a 12-10 lead but Sammut’s try and conversion gave Barrow their first league win of the season.

Batley’s trip home from Cumbria will be a sweeter one after tries from Alistair Leak, Elliot Kear and Lucas Walshaw ensured a nervy win in Whitehaven - and a third successive victory in all competitions.

They had to do it the hard way though - coming back from an early Marcus O’Brien try before repelling a late, rallying response from Whitehaven after establishing an 18-6 lead.

Leak cancelled out O’Brien’s effort before Kear finished a lovely flowing move to give the Bulldogs a 12-6 lead at half time.

The lead was extended in the second half as Walshaw scored after a quick succession of passes.

However, James Newton got the home side to within one score but they weren’t helped when Tom Walker was sent to the sin-bin.

The game’s crucial moment came with seven minutes remaining as Curtis Teare crashed over in the corner but Josh Rourke couldn’t add the extras as Batley held on for a great win.

In the day’s other Championship games, Gareth Gale scored a hat-trick as Featherstone Rovers maintained their 100 per cent start in a 46-4 win over York Knights, while Keighley Cougars beat West Yorkshire neighbours Bradford Bulls, 34-6.

London Broncos edged past Swinton Lions, 16-14, and Widnes Vikings beat Newcastle 24-16.

In League 1, Dewsbury Rams continued their impressive start thanks to a sensational 52-4 win at Rochdale Hornets.

The two had clashed two weeks ago in the third round of the Challenge Cup, in which the Rams won 38-18, but the Hornets, despite two sin-binnings, drew the second half 18-18.

And Rochdale looked like they were continuing from where they left off against Liam Finn’s men when Cian Tyrer got the home side off to a perfect start.

However, that was as good as it got for the Hornets as Dewsbury ran in nine tries to make it four wins out of four.

Lewis Carr, Ollie Greensmith and a brace from Dale Ferguson gave the visitors a commanding half-time lead - but they did not slow down in what was a rampant second half display, in which Owen Restall bagged a hat-trick.

Restall got his first ten minutes after the restart by finishing off a slick move before Perry Whiteley went over. Bailey O’Connor added to the scoreboard before two late tries from Restall completed his hat-trick - and a routine victory for the Rams.

In the division’s other games there were away wins for Oldham and Workington, while Cornwall won their first league game by beating London Skolars, 35-10.