MATCH REPORT - NEWCASTLE THUNDER 24 - 24 DEWSBURY RAMS

Spoils shared at Kingston Park after late drama in Betfred Championship round 20

Newcastle Thunder were made to work hard by an industrious Dewsbury Rams on Saturday afternoon, as the Betfred Championship spoils were shared in a 24-all draw at Kingston Park Stadium. 

Thunder had looked to have secured a third home win in a row five minutes from time when Gideon Boafo pounced on a defensive error to give Newcastle a two-point lead. 

But a penalty conceded by the home side well within kicking range with just three minutes to level the scores.

Thunder were a converted try in arrears six minutes in as the Rams found a gap in the defensive line which they flooded with numbers.

Creating a two-on-one against Craig Mullen, Thunder’s fullback made his tackle but the support of Paul Sykes allowed the Rams in for their opening converted score.

A potent set of off-loads close to the line saw the visitors double their lead through Lewis Carr, with the winger able to dive in at the corner as Dewsbury made a fifth tackle powerplay count.

Finding some cohesion in their play, Thunder cut the gap with almost a quarter played through Ollie Roberts as the big men engineered a suitably robust score.

A strong carry from Connor Bailey made the initial surge towards the Rams line before the on-rushing prop was found neatly by Jake Shorrocks, allowing him to shrug off the first tackle and then power over through the last-ditch efforts.

Following a successful conversion, both sides struggled to find any fluidity in their play until the half exploded into action in the closing stages.

Picking off a loose ball on his own try-line, Gideon Boafo raced clear of the Rams line ahead of him for a superb individual score, but it would prove to be a short-lived narrowing of the gap as Reiss Butterworth hit back for the Rams with the last play of the half.

Dewsbury enjoyed the better of the start to the second half as they looked to make the most of their eight-point lead as Thunder were unable to build much in the way of momentum to their efforts.

15 minutes in proved to be the decisive moment for the Rams as the hosts conceded a pair of penalties in quick succession to give up 70 meters of territory and lose Isaac Nokes to the sin-bin.

From the resulting restart, the tackle count was worked through before a kick to the corner allowed Keenen Tomlinson to feed Carr for his second of the game.

With time still in hand, Thunder’s fightback began in earnest on the hour mark as Jack Johnson crossed in the corner.

Playing off the back of a scrum close to the Dewsbury line, a nice slip of the ball out the back from Sam Halsall saw the winger collect without breaking his stride.

Unable to convert from out wide, it was still an eight-point gap that Thunder had to overhaul but one that Halsall’s thirteenth try of the season bit a significant way into with eight minutes to play.

With Shorrocks converting, Thunder had given themselves a chance and when the Rams spilt a simple high ball receipt in their in-goal area, it was a chance that was seized as Boafo reacted fastest to poach the try.

With the conversion attempt fading away at the last moment, it was a slender lead that Thunder would have to defend for the final five minutes, but one that they were unable to.

A costly lapse of discipline on the Rams next attacking set gave Sykes the chance to level the scores with a simple penalty goal.

Dewsbury almost snatched the win in the final moments but when they were unable to play the ball cleanly the chance for a crucial drop-goal passed them by.

Newcastle Thunder

1 Craig Mullen, 5 Gideon Boafo, 23 Isaac Nokes, 4 Sam Halsall, 2 Jack Johnson, 6 Jake Shorrocks, 14 Connor Bailey, 16 Jay Chapelhow, 9 Josh Eaves, 21 Lewis Peachey, 12 Brad Day, 36 Ellis Robson, 39 Ollie Roberts

Interchanges

17 Ukuma Ta’ai, 10 Mitch Clark, 20 Brad Gallagher, 31 Tom Forber

Tries: Roberts (20), Boafo (37, 75) Johnson (61), Halsall (73)

Goals: Shorrocks 2/5

Dewsbury Rams

1 Calum Turner, 5 Lewis Carr, 15 Keenan Tomlinson, 21 Brad Graham, 28 Ben Blackmore, 40 Paul Sykes, 27 Bayley Gill, 32 Elliot Morris, 9 Reiss Butterworth, 22 Jon-Luke Kirby, 33 Connor Davies, 12 Michael Knowles, 31 Benjamin Mathiou

Interchanges

19 Jake Sweeting, 34 Jack Blagbrough, 8 James Beckett, 23 Jonathan Magrin

Tries: Sykes (8), Carr (14, 58) Butterworth (40)

Goals: Sykes 4/5