Season’s best sees Moor to first point

Dewsbury Moor22

Hunslet Old Boys22

DEWSBURY Moor picked their first point of the season in the Pennine League Premier Division, as they drew 22-22 against high flying Hunslet Old Boys last Saturday.

Moor fielded four players from their youth squad in full-back Tobias Richardson, winger Connor Squires, 18-year-old prop Alex Jeffs and 16-year-old Cameron Bruce as substitute, while they also handed a debut to Ashley Boddy who is on leave from the army.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Moor were not fazed by the high flying Old Boys as they produced their best display of the season and took a deserved lead with a try from centre Phil Shotton, which James Eatherley converted.

Old Boys responded well and full-back Phil Goodwill crossed for a try, with Luke O’Malley’s goal drawing them level.

A fine passing move involving Ryan Johnson, Shotton and James Delaney released teenage winger Squires, who raced away and beat the Hunslet cover defence to score. Eatherley converted.

Hunslet’s big pack drove downfield before Tom Saunders and Wayne Foster created space for stand-off O’Malley to score. Jamie Fields converted to make it 12-12.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Goodwill added his second try to put Hunslet ahead for the first time but the end-to-end first half continued and after good drives from Jeffs, Matty Shaw and Andy Robinson, 17-year-old Tobias Richardson was on hand to score his first try in open age rugby, as the sides went into half-time level at 16-16.

Hunslet drove at the Moor line after the break but could find no way through a solid home defence of Shaw, Wardman, Dominic Scanlon and Damien Rounding. Eventually the pressure told as winger Danny Harrison and Fields landed the conversion to put Hunslet six points ahead.

In recent weeks Moor have faded in the final quarter of games but they sensed picking up a first point and put Hunslet on the back foot.

Moor’s forwards again stood up to the bigger Old Boys pack. Shotton drove forward before Cameron Bruce made a smart run to take them further upfield.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Danny Wardman burst through from 22 yards out to score by the posts. Eatherley slotted over the goal to level.

Both sides attempted drop goals late on but to no avail and Moor celebrated picking up a first point of the season.

Hunslet moved level on 14 points with Queens at the top of the table and although Moor remain bottom, three points behind Queensbury, they can go into the new year with renewed hope of clawing their way out of trouble.

Related topics: