RESERVES FRIENDLY – SOUTH WALES SCORPIONS 22 HALIFAX 56

By Ian Golden at Caerphilly Borough Council Centre of Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach

 

Halifax scored three tries in the last ten minutes to create a bit of imbalance to the scoreline in the reserves team friendly between Halifax and South Wales Scorpions, in what was a very competitive encounter.

 

The Championship reserve side showed why their club is a level above the Scorpions, but the Welsh never gave up throughout the contest and could have taken the lead early in the game when Shane Lee’s kick was palmed back by Lewys Willacott in the attempt to keep the prospect of an early try going, but the ball was intercepted.

 

Minutes later, after Scorpions won a scrum, Ethan Coombes had a try ruled out for a forward pass.

 

But a defensive lapse gave Halifax the lead as Chester Butler was given too much space to run through. Hull FC bound Nick Rawsthorne converted.

 

Straight away, Halifax were in for a second. Morgan Punchard running over and Rawsthorne converting again.

 

And the home side were three tries down when Adam Ryder went over from close range. Rawsthorne’s kick went wide.

 

Scorpions finally broke through on 25 minutes when Sion Jones ran through the Halifax back-line. Ben Jones converted.

 

Jack Mead went over in the corner for Halifax’s fourth to make it 20-6 at the break and within seconds of coming back out, Butler sprinted over for his second and Rawsthorne converted to make it 26-6.

 

Then Nick Rawsthorne did well to intercept to run 90 metres for their sixth, adding the extras himself.

 

Scorpions hit back again from the next play when Huw Parks made it look easy to dodge through for a try. Jones converted to bring the score back to 32-12.

 

Then the Welsh reduced the deficit further as Zak Williams ran over for the next try, Jones unable to land the extras.

 

But Halifax regained the ball and Punchard was unopposed to score his second. Rawsthorne converted.

 

Both sides were temporarily down a man after a scuffle saw Huw Parks and Lewis Hosty see yellow, and it was Scorpions who reacted better as Sion Jones did well to score his second of the game. Ben Jones converted again.

 

Halifax finished on a high. Butler ran in under the sticks, then Hosty scored as soon as he got back onto the field. Rawsthorne converted both to bring up the 50.

 

And with five minutes to go, Adam Ryder ran past a tiring Scorpions defence with Rawsthorne converting.

 

SCORPIONS

7. Rhys Gant
8. Lewys Willacott
9. Ben Jones
10. Lloyd Selby-Smith
11. Josh Stafford-Smith
12. Shane Lee
13. Huw Parks
14. Jake Thomas
15. Zak Williams
16. Ethan Coombes
17. Mike Edwards
18. Paul Edwards
19. Sion Jones

SUBS

9. Cobi Green
10. Dafydd Hellard
11. Rhys Davies
12. Fraser Stroud
13. Josh Williams
14. Liam Silver

 

TRIES

Sion Jones           (26, 64)

Huw Parks           (47)

Zak Williams       (54)

GOALS  Ben Jones 3/4

 

HALIFAX

1. Lewis Hosty
2. Jack Mead
3. Nick Rawsthorne
4. Adam Ryder
5. Jamie Stringer
6. Josh Greenwood-MacDonald
7. Morgan Punchard
8. Luke Nelmes
9. Billy Gaylor
10. Elliot Morris
11. Jordan Syme
12. Will Collott
13. Chester Butler

SUBS

14. Jordan Baldwin
15. Lewis Boye
16. Aiden Hema
17. Bob Holroyd
18. Cian Timmins

 

TRIES

Morgan Punchard            (10, 12, 58)

Adam Ryder       (16, 75)

Jack Mead           (34)

Nick Rawsthorne              (44)

Chester Butler   (70, 41)

Lewis Hosty        (73)

GOALS  Nick Rawsthorne 8/10

 

Referee: Nick Bennett

Half-time: 6-20

 

What do you think?

 

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