Championship round-up: Super six on the spin for Batley Bulldogs, while Halifax Panthers return to winning ways after Featherstone Rovers suffer first league defeat

The Bulldogs remain joint-second with Sheffield Eagles on 20 points after a double from Dale Morton and efforts from Aidan McGowen, Jimmy Meadows and Josh Hodson ensured a 26-12 victory in the north east.

But Craig Lingard’s men were made to work hard for their two points as tries from James Chapelhow and Alex Donaghy either side of the half-time hooter gave Newcastle hope of a first league win since the opening round of fixtures in February.

Batley’s head coach was adamant before the game that Newcastle’s next triumph was “just around the corner,” but he didn’t want it at his own side’s “expense.”

And he will have been happy with the start the Bulldogs made at Kingston Park with Morton going over for the first try of the afternoon in the corner.

On loan Huddersfield Giants star McGowen then rewarded a bright spell for the visitors with another try as he touched down in the left corner.

However, Chapelhow forced his way over from close range under the sticks to get Newcastle back into the contest at the break, trailing 10-6.

And, incredibly, they went in front shortly after the restart with Donaghy going under the posts and Nikau Williams successfully converting.

But, as always with Batley, their fighting spirit showed with Meadows going over in the right corner, Hodson finishing a team move involving Morton and Kieran Buchanan, and Morton getting his second of the game to secure a sixth consecutive win.

The result ensured they got back level on points with the Eagles following their comprehensive 40-10 success at home to York Knights on Friday night. And it also meant they are now just three wins behind Fev after Sean Long’s men lost for the first time in the Championship on Saturday evening against Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium, 36-18.

In a game where they were always behind from the 11th minute when Guy Armitage went over for his first try of the evening, Rovers stunningly got back on level terms, 18-18, after 55 minutes, after being 18-8 down four minutes after the restart.

But three unanswered tries from Paul Marcon, Dom Peyroux and Armitage in a ten minute burst gave the French side the win.

Craig Hall cancelled out Armitage’s first try but Toulouse responded straight away through Pierre-Jean Lima, although Luke Briscoe scampered over in the right corner to only make it a four-point deficit at the break, 12-8.

Toulouse extended their lead through Peyroux before John Davies and Chris Hankinson splendidly got Fev back on level terms but the visitors’ three quick tries ensured the night belonged to them.

Lachlan Walmsley scored four tries for the second time in four games to help Halifax Panthers to a 46-8 victory at second bottom Swinton Lions.

The lowly Lions, however, put up a brave fight, especially in the first half - the 8-8 scoreline at the break proving there wasn’t much between the sides.

However, seven unanswered tries in a rampant second half showing ensured Fax returned to winning ways in style.

Simon Grix’s men made the short trip over the Pennines following successive narrow defeats against Batley Bulldogs in the Summer Bash on Bank Holiday weekend and in France against Toulouse last weekend.

But they had not lost three consecutive league games so far this season. And that didn’t look likely to be the case after Ben Tibbs gave the visitors the perfect start after only five minutes.

Swinton hit back through Josh Eaves but Walmsley was fed by Louis Jouffret to go over in the corner as Fax hit the front again.

A Dan Abram penalty levelled the scores at the break but it was all Halifax, and Walmsley, in the second half.

Within the first minute, the Panthers went back ahead with Adam Tangata grabbing his first try of the season before James Woodburn-Hall assisted Walmsley for his second on a hot Manchester day.

And although Zach McComb was sent to the sin-bin, Walmsley was still able to get his hat-trick after great work by Tibbs. Two minutes later, it was 30-8 thanks to Ben Kavanagh crossing next to the posts and Jouffret completing the conversion.

Walmsley got his fourth with a trademark interception and 90-metre dash while Woodburn-Hall and Brandon Moore added further tries as Fax put those defeats against Batley and Toulouse behind them.

In the Championship’s other games on Sunday, there were wins for Bradford Bulls (32-16 against London Broncos), Barrow Raiders (18-16 against Keighley Cougars) and Whitehaven 32-12 against Widnes Vikings).