Match Report: Newcastle Thunder v Batley Bulldogs Betfred Championship Round 12

Newcastle Thunder ran in ten tries this afternoon in a fine display of running rugby to see off Batley Bulldogs.

Thunder started well but their attacks were seen out by stubborn Batley defence. Batley were rewarded for their good start when Robbie Butterworth found Joe Burton to go in the right corner. The conversion was missed but it was an early 0-4 lead for the visitors.

Thunder scored their first try of the game to break Batley on 19 minutes when Jordan Lipp went on the outside and found Andy Djeukessi to run in from his own half, rounding the last defender to tie the game up.

Thunder looked dangerous when they went wide and Batley couldn’t cope with the pace of the play. Thunder took the lead when Jude Ferreira went over following Brad Ward contesting a crossfield kick from Williams.

Harvey Reynolds had a big hand in Ferreira’s second of the afternoon on 31 minutes as his neat offload sent him over to extend Thunder’s lead to 12-4. This was the first of four tries in the last ten minutes of the first half that took the game away from Batley.

In that time, Thunder were at their free-flowing best. Reynolds assisted again brilliantly to send Williams over to score; Roberts converted to make it 18-4. Shortly after, Williams and Lipp combined as Williams broke and fed Lipp who passed back to Williams to score. Roberts converted.

The final score of the half was an excellent solo effort from Jack Smith who turned on the gas on the outside, rounded two defenders and scored the try of the game. Roberts converted and Thunder led 30-4 to leave Batley stunned.

In a similar fashion to the first half, it was Batley who started brighter in the second half. A late hit on Ben Reynolds earned them territory. This led to Jack Hudson going over in the corner, Josh Woods missed the conversion.

That Batley try sent Thunder back into action; they responded on 51 minutes when Will Roberts found Smith who then made space from somewhere to then find Roberts to score another good interplay try from Thunder. The lead went to 34-8.

Roberts made his mark on the next try too as his show-and-go drew a late hit from Butterworth, finding Sagaga to score. Jack Smith converted as Roberts went off for a HIA and Butterworth was shown a yellow card.

During the twelve man period and for the rest of the game, Batley came back into it and had chances but they couldn’t convert.

On 71 minutes, Tom Inman scored Thunder’s ninth try of the afternoon as he darted from dummy half following a strong King Vuniyayawa carry. The final try of the game was another nice move from Thunder as Clark carried and offloaded to Lipp who then found Roberts after he passed his HIA. He went over to score and Smith converted to give Thunder a convincing victory.

This is the kind of performance that Thunder have been threatening and when they go wide, they entertain.