Match Report: Newcastle Thunder v Whitehaven Betfred Championship Round 17

Newcastle ran in ten tries as they beat a committed Whitehaven side in boiling conditions on Tyneside. Whitehaven turned up with a game plan to frustrate Thunder and slow the game along with a kicking strategy which James Newton’s side executed excellently.

Thunder scored the first of five first half tries on five minutes as Brad Ward followed up a high testing kick and tapped it back to Jack Smith to score, Myles Harrison missed the conversion. The game became scrappy as the sides got used to difficult conditions and errors were traded.

On 13 minutes, Thunder scored their second of the game as Myles Harrison swooped on a loose pass as Thunder attacked, reacted quickest to spot a gap in the Whitehaven defence to score, he converted his own try to extend the lead to 10-0.

Whitehaven then had a spell of possesion and were unlucky not to score as they forced back-to-back goal line drop outs but it was Thunder who extended their lead. Will Roberts grubbered through and Harrison dotted down for his second of the afternoon, he converted his own try to extend the lead to 16-0.

Andy Djeukessi was next to score as Roberts found Harrison who’s deft touch found Djeukessi to go over on the right handside, Thunder led 20-0. Whitehaven’s kicking game was causing Thunder problems as they kicked low and short causing Thunder problems throughout the afternoon. Shortly after Taylor Pemberton darted over from dummy half and Harrison converted to take Thunder to a half time lead of 26-0.

Thunder’s score of the game came on 48 minutes as Roberts intercpeted, he found Harrison but the Whitehaven defence rallied to stop him, Djeukessi got the ball at dummy half and ran away from the retreating defence to score to extend the lead to 30-0.

Whitehaven threatened again but in warm conditions they knocked on as they threatenend the line. Jackson Smith had a big impact from the bench for Whitehaven and Jack Kellett playing in the halves caused Thunder problems.

Justin Sangare ran a nice line to score on 54 minutes as he took a pass from Sam Cook, Harrison converted to take the score to 36-0. Shortly after Brenden Santi got on the end of a Will Roberts grubber to score, Harrison converted to take it to 42-0.

On 69 minutes, Whitehaven got a deserved score as Liam Williamson got on the end of a grubber to score, Ciaran Walker converted to take it to 42-6. There was still time for two more Thunder tries with John Sagaga going over after a King Vuniyayawa break, Will Roberts did excellently to keep the ball alive and find Sagaga to score.

The final try of the game came late on as Roberts found John Sagaga to score to take it to 50-6. Thunder will be delighted with another win in difficult conditions as they build to an away trip at Barrow in a fortnight. Whitehaven may feel that the scoreline doesn’t reflect the effort that they put into the game and were probably deserving of some more points.

by Phil World.