In-form Batley Bulldogs hold on for thrilling derby win over determined Halifax Panthers

In a topsy-turvy encounter at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium, where tributes were paid to rugby league legend John Kear, the Bulldogs were twice pegged back by Fax, with the visitors eventually ending the first half in front.

But Batley, who have hit a purple patch having scored 186 points in three successive wins before today, battled back in the second half with Robson Stevens’ converted try proving to be the match-winning play.

The game marked the first opportunity for the Bulldogs to honour their former head coach Kear, who sadly passed away two weeks ago.

The Challenge Cup final hymn, Abide With Me, was played as the warm-ups ended in a nod to Kear’s relationship with the prestigious knockout competition, while the words ‘Only one John Kear’ were painted on the pitch before Mount Pleasant fell solemnly silent for a minute.

And it would have been a contest he would have thoroughly enjoyed.

Both teams went set-for-set as the game got underway before Fax knocked-on on their own line, which resulted in another set of six for the home side. Batley then worked the ball well to the right, with Joe Burton going over in the corner, and Ben Reynolds making a difficult kick on the touchline look easy.

James Ford had said in the build-up to the West Yorkshire derby that his focus would be on his side’s defence against one of the most physical teams in the Championship.

He would have been disappointed, therefore, with the Bulldogs relinquishing their lead straight from the restart after the Panthers won the ball back. Will Calcott then fed Ben Forster who delivered the instant response by the sticks. Myles Lawford, whose dad Dean played for both Batley and Halifax, converted to make it 6-6 with barely ten minutes on the clock.

Batley responded well to the setback with Josh Woods and Robbie Butterworth combining to find Felix Ellis but he was stopped just short of the line by a determined Fax defence.

But when the excellent Reynolds came up with a terrific 40-20 to put more pressure on Fax, the Bulldogs regained the lead, with Liam Kirk proving too difficult to stop when he was played in by Woods.

However, not for the first time, it didn’t take Kyle Eastmond’s men long to deliver a retort with Alfie Johnson touching down on the far side after an eye-catching move. Lawford’s touchline kick made it 12-12.

It was a case of you score, we score. But instead of Batley regaining the bull by the horns for a third time, Fax maintained momentum down the slope and managed to hit the front for the first time.

It was coming too as Darius Carter broke clear only for Jimmy Beckett to thwart the attack. But in their very next set Fax were able to score with Jesse Soric creating space for the supporting Curtis Davies who dived over to give Fax an 18-12 lead at the break.

Fax’s last game with Batley came just before their liquidation in a 28-10 win at The Shay in February. And it looked like they were on course for completing a 2026 double.

The Bulldogs, however, didn’t have to wait long to make their mark going downhill in the second half when Jack Hudson produced a lovely step to go over in the corner. Another Reynolds conversion from the touchline made it 18-18 and we were all square again.

Which way was this tasty derby going to go? Even at this stage, both sides deserved a share of the spoils.

Fax looked to be in a good position to get their noses back ahead on 55 minutes when the influential Lawford produced a fantastic 40-20 and, in the very next play, Carter seemed destined to score but he knocked-on at the decisive moment on the line. The resulting melee just added to the drama.

But Fax went from nearly going ahead to going behind in a matter of minutes after they conceded a penalty for accidental offside. Reynolds made no mistake right in front of the sticks.

Having created some momentum, Batley made it a two-score game with Stevens ploughing his way through the visiting defence and spinning over by the right-hand post.

Fax still battled on and they made it a nervy ending when Ben Will squeezed over in the corner but the Bulldogs held on for a fourth consecutive victory to move up to seventh, with the Panthers remaining on minus two points.

Batley: Butterworth, Burton, Ellis, Hudson, Olpherts, Reynolds, Woods, Kirk, Leak, Beckett, Manning, Flynn, Stevens

Interchanges: Parsons, Hodgson, White, Walshaw

Tries: Burton, Kirk, Hudson, Stevens

Conversions: Reynolds (4)

Penalties: Reynolds

Halifax: Brough, Tibbs, Crooks, Carter, Johnson, Soric, Lawford, Forster, O’Brien, Gittens, Connor Davies, Fairbank, Calcott

Interchanges: Curtis Davies, Will, Halafihi, Thompson

Tries: Forster, Johnson, Curtis Davies, Will

Conversions: Lawford (3)