Round Ten of the 2022 Betfred Championship saw plenty of tries as the sides continued their jostling for position as we head towards mid-season.
There were seven matches over four days with Leigh and Sheffield meeting on Friday night and the intriguing encounter between York and Barrow being chosen for the Monday evening game on Premier Sports.
On Saturday Newcastle played hosts to Halifax while the bulk of games were on Sunday afternoon with Batley at Workington, Widnes at Featherstone, Dewsbury at London and Bradford at Whitehaven.
Leigh Centurions maintained the pressure on Featherstone as they returned to the top of the table on Friday night with a decisive 34-6 win over the Sheffield Eagles. Sidlow, Reynolds and Chamberlain put the home side 18-0 ahead at the interval with Brand and Stone making it 30-0 before Sheffield got their only points of the game through a Holmes converted try. McDonnell rounded off the scoring for Leigh to seal a twenty-eight point win.
Halifax Panthers had no problems in seeing off the challenge of Newcastle Thunder as they ran out as 30-10 winners. Walmsley picked up a brace inside the opening eleven minutes before Croft puled one back for the home side but with Woodburn-Hall, McComb and Keyes all scoring before the interval, Halifax went into the sheds with a 24-6 lead. Croft got his second for Thunder after the restart before a late Murray try sealed the win.
Workington and Batley had a tussle on Sunday afternoon with Walshaw putting the Bulldogs ahead before Barnes and Clegg gave Workington a 10-6 half time lead. Hodson scored soon after the break for Batley to level the scores before the final scoring of the game on fifty-one when Manning went over. The Gilmore conversion made it 16-10 and the visitors managed to run down the clock to the win.
The London Broncos recorded their first victory of the season as they beat fellow strugglers Dewsbury by 36-12. Gahan (2), Chisolm and Moceidreke gave the home side a 22-0 half time lead but unconverted tries from Greensmith, Laulu-Togagae and Garbriel before the hour put the Rams back in contention at 12-22. But Dewsbury couldn´t build their fightback as London doubled-down and two late tries from Bienek rounded off a 26-12 win, much to the relief of the home support.
Featherstone Rovers went back over Leigh to the top of the table with an emphatic 74-6 win over Widnes, full match report here.
Bradford Bulls picked up their fifth win of the season with a 34-22 win away at Whitehaven. Burton, Lilley and Kear all scored early on for the Bulls for an 18-0 lead before Aiye got Whitehaven off the mark but a second try from Burton and one from Doyle put the Bulls 28-6 ahead at the interval. Scurr added a sixth Bulls try soon after the restart before a Whitehaven fightback with tries from Aiye, Walker and Cooper came too late with the home side losing out by two converted tries.
We will bring you a full match report soon after the final hooter in tomorrow nights game between York and Barrow.