HORNETS BOW OUT OF CHALLENGE CUP TO DEWSBURY

Hornets were beaten 38-18 by Dewsbury Rams in the Third Round of the Betfred Challenge Cup.

A scoreless first half from Hornets saw Dewsbury lead by 20 points at the break, after Brad Graham scored a hat-trick inside 25 minutes.

Aiden Roden, Callum Green and Toby Brannan scored tries for Hornets in the second half, however, Dewsbury crossed twice more to put the tie to bed.

The game began at a fast pace, in which Dewsbury, who heavily defeated amateur side Ashton Bears in the last round, put Hornets on the back foot.

Graham scored his first of the afternoon after just three minutes, when he touched down Calum Turner’s grubber kick. Con missed, 4-0.

Despite snow being cleared from the pitch a day before, the sun shone in West Yorkshire.

Rams took advantage of the pitch to score their second of the match, when Turner picked up and grounded his own kick through before adding the extras. Con scored. 10-0, 15 minutes.

The hosts added a third try shortly after, with a carbon copy move to their first score.

Turner’s grubber kick bounced in behind the Rochdale line, and Graham was the first to capitalise to score his second of the match. Con scored. 16-0, 22 minutes.

The Dewsbury second rower completed his hat-trick three minutes later when he ran onto Turner’s pass before powering through the line from 10m out. Con missed.  20-0, 25 minutes.

Minutes after the referee disallowed a fifth Dewsbury try before the break, Rochdale were denied their first try of the match when Jack Arnold powered through under the sticks.

However, the officials deemed there to be an obstruction offence in the build-up, so consequently Hornets’ points total was nil at the interval.

Half time: Dewsbury Rams 20-0 Rochdale Hornets

Gary Thornton’s team talk worked as Rochdale started came out a different side in the early stages, and they scored within five minutes of the restart.

Arnold went close with a carry that saw him held up, before Roden picked up to scoot over from close range in front of the posts. Dave Hewitt added the extra two points. 20-6, 44 minutes.

The hosts reclaimed their 20 point lead minutes later when Sam Day bundled over the line, and Turner added the conversion.

Despite being down to 11 men, after Ben Killan and Roden were sin-binned minutes apart for separate incidents, Hornets scored two quick-fire tries before the hour to reduce the points difference to eight.

First Green combined sweetly with Andy Clarke to dive over in the corner, before Brannan powered his way through from close range. Hewitt was reliable from the tee with both kicks.

Rochdale had worked themselves back into the game to get the score line to 26-18 with 20 minutes to go, however, Dewsbury killed the tie with two late tries to maintain their unbeaten start to the season in all competitions.

Connor Davies finished off a well-worked move to ease the nerves, before Ollie Greensmith went over for the final try of the contest.

Full time: Dewsbury Rams 38-18 Rochdale Hornets

 Rochdale starting line-up: Green, Tyrer, O’Keefe, Brewin, Clarke, Else, Hewitt, Braham, Berry, Killan, Ratcliffe, Straugheir, Aspey

 Interchanges: Roden, Arnold, Brannan and Badham, Forber [18^th man] 

Tries: Roden, Green, Brannan

Goals: Hewitt 3/3