SOUTH WALES SCORPIONS 24 HUNSLET HAWKS 36

By Ian Golden at Virginia Park

 

It was a classic game of two halves in Caerphilly as South Wales Scorpions launched a miraculous comeback against Hunslet Hawks, but in the end were a couple of tries short.

 

The try count was actually six to five in favour of Hunslet, but had Scorpions’ kicker Paul Emanuelli converted a few more, and had the home side had the rub of the green, as they were on the wrong end of a number of debatable refereeing decisions, who knows what would have happened?

 

A Paul Emanuelli 40-20 put Scorpions into a good attacking position within the first minute but a knock-on put paid to a Welsh opener.

 

Hunslet made them pay as Mufaro Mvududu went over in the fourth minute with Simon Brown converting, the same combination doubling the lead nine minutes later.

 

There could have been a third but Austin Bell couldn’t get onto the end of Danny Ansell’s grubber kick.

 

Eventually Hunslet broke through with Danny Williams finding a gap to run through for his side’s third. Brown goaled again to make it 18-0.

 

Scorpions looked to have had one back straight away but Barrie Phillips’ touchdown was ruled out for obstruction.

 

And Hunslet went into half-time 24-0 to the good when Danny Thomas picked up a loose ball to run home and Brown converted.

 

Scorpions opened the second half with a try after Jordan Sheridan was fastest to a loose ball and ran over for the try. Paul Emanuelli’s kick was wide.

 

They followed that up straight away with a second try when Emanuelli’s grubber was picked up by fellow Welsh international Christiaan Roets. Emanuelli again kicked the conversion attempt wide.

 

Scorpions were on a roll. Dai Evans out-ran his markers to leap on a long kick for his side’s third. Emanuelli, with his trickiest kick of the day so far, notched his first conversion to bring the score back to 24-14.

 

The Welsh were excelling in defence as well as attack, forcing the Hawks into errors as they blew three chances when approaching the line.

 

But the Yorkshire side finally broke through, George Flanagan with a strong run through the centre with Brown converting.

 

Then, from a pass that looked a tad forward, Lewis Reed broke through to put the seal on the game. Brown again kicked the extras to make it 36-14.

 

The try of the game came with three minutes to go. An excellent passing move involving man of the match Sion Jones and Courtney Davies ended with Ian Newbury touching down. Emanuelli converted.

 

There was still time for another Scorpions consolation. Another long kick chased well by speedster Evans but Emanuelli missed the kick.

 

Even after the hooter, the Scorpions looked for another score following a penalty but Hawks were, this time, able to prevent anything further against them.

 

SOUTH WALES SCORPIONS

30 Jamie Murphy

2 Ian Newbury

22 Christiaan Roets

15 Jordan Sheridan

5 Dai Evans

27 Courtney Davies

7 Paul Emanuelli

28 Richard Jones

9 Connor Farrer

10 Izaak Duffy

3 Kyle Scrivens

23 Barrie Phillips

26 Alex Davidson

SUBS

11 Bradley Hill

14 Osian Phillips

19 Kristian Baller

25 Sion Jones

 

Tries: Sheridan (43), Roets (48), Evans (51, 79), Newbury (77)

Goals: Emanuelli 2/5

 

HUNSLET HAWKS

31 Lee Mapals

20 Danny Thomas

15 Mufaro Mvududu

4 Ayden Faal

28 Richie Barnett

6 Simon Brown

7 Danny Ansell

19 Matt Carbutt

9 Jack Lee

10 Lewis Reed

29 Danny Williams

3 Jake Normington

13 Liam Mackay

SUBS

14 George Flanagan

22 Craig Robinson

26 Austin Bell

32 Jack Coventry

 

Tries: Mvududu (4, 14), Williams (29), Thomas (38), Flanagan (66), Reed (73)

Goals: Brown 6/6

 

Referee: Liam Moore

Half-time: 0-24

Attendance: 259