Boys just missout on last eight

Westgate Wolves26

Batley Boys10

BATLEY Boys gave Westgate a huge scare before eventually bowing out of the Yorkshire Cup at the third-round stage.

The Boys made a blistering start and scored two tries and a conversion in the opening 15 minutes and a shock looked on the cards as the visitors held their 10-0 lead until just before half-time.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

An up and under caused panic in the Boys’ defence as Westgate pulled a converted try back and they repeated the play soon after, again gathering the fumbled ball and breathed a huge sigh of relief to go into the break with a 12-10 lead.

Westgate added an early second half penalty but then lost playmaker Beckett to injury and also had a man sent off as Batley sensed a comeback.

Batley piled on the pressure but were unable to break the solid Wolves defence and two late converted tries gave the final score a flattering look.

Thornhill Trojans21

Halifax Irish8

LAST season’s beaten Yorkshire Cup finalists reached the last eight of this season’s competition with victory over Irish.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thornhill made a whirlwind start, racing into a 12-0 lead after just seven minutes.

Young half-backs Andrew Bates and Mason Bailey played a pivotal role in the Trojans impressive performance, while Scott Green produced a fearless display to be named man-of-the-match.

Green made a great break and found Bailey on his shoulder to score the opening try, which Bates converted.

Bates then chipped through and gathered his own kick to score and convert his own try and he also landed a penalty before half-time to stretch Thornhill’s lead to 14-0.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tempers boiled over after 55 minutes but referee Andy Mellor restored order and showed Joe Naidole a yellow card.

Halifax exploited the extra man advantage and Alex Muff squeezed in at the corner for an unconverted try.

Irish attacked the same corner soon after and winger Chris Muxlow scored out wide.

Bates landed a drop-goal as Naidole returned, while Adam Hoyle had a try disallowed when Danny Ratcliffe’s pass was ruled forward.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thornhill sealed victory in the final minute when Bates hoisted a kick to the in-goal area and Danny Ratcliffe outjumped the defence to gather and score, with Bates adding the conversion, which sets up a quarter-final tie at West Bowling.

Dewsbury Moor22

Norland Sharks16

DEWSBURY Moor are also through to the Yorkshire Cup quarter-finals following a thrilling win over Norland Sharks in a game which saw the lead change hands five times.

Moor were rocked early on when Sam Saunders scored an unconverted try for the Humbersiders.

Peter Robinson and Dean Mountain prompted Moor to hit back through a try from stand-off Anthony Boardman, which Andrew Robinson converted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ben Hardacre, James Delaney, Wayne Wilson and Matt Shaw led the Moor forwards but both sides were reduced to 12 men after having a player sin-binned.

With Dean Arundel cooling off, Moor were reduced to 11 when Boardman received treatment in the blood bin and Rob Laughton scored for Norland, with Nathan Walker converting.

The returning Boardman scored his second try and Andrew Robinson put Moor 12-10 ahead with the conversion but before half-time Liam Storey crossed and Walker edged Norland back in front with the goal.

Ryan Johnson, William Brook and Phil Shotton drove into Norland territory before Boardman completed his hat-trick and Andrew Robinson converted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With Norland attacking, Arundel intercepted an adventurous pass and raced away. He was hauled down but after Peter Robinson, Aaron Hayward and Wilson were all held short, MoM Simpson forced his way over for the crucial try.

Ryan Johnson, Hayward and James Delaney pulled off crucial tackles to keep Norland at bay late on and set up a quarter-final tie at home to Nevison Leap on November 17.

Yorkshire Cup, quarter-finals (to be played on Saturday November 17): Dewsbury Moor v Nevison Leap, Hull Wyke or Drighlington v Keighley, Lindley Swifts or Sharlston Rovers v Westgate Wolves, West Bowling v Thornhill Trojans.

n Shaw Cross Sharks and Dewsbury Celtic both bowed out of the Challenge Cup after defeats last Saturday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shaw Cross went down 38-10 at home to Pilkington Recs, who raced into a 12-0 lead and led 18-6 at the break despite a Danny Smith try for the Sharks, converted by Ben Diskin.

Smith scored his second after the break but Recs posted four further second half tries to run out comfortable winners.

Celtic were edged out 19-16 by Ovenden in Crow Nest Park.

Both sides had competed in National Conference Division Two, with Celtic winning promotion, but although Josh Thorneycroft, Danny Crabtree and Adam Egan scored tries, with Niki Crabtree adding two goals, it wasn’t enough.

Related topics: