Powerful performance gives Huddersfield the perfect start to the New Year.
Huddersfield produced a strong and determined display to inflict only the third defeat of the season on third placed Tynedale in a breath taking thriller at Lockwood Park. They scored five tries to their visitors two to run out winners 29 points to 20.
The match started with a yellow card for Tynedale centre Will Miller who took out Huddersfield full back Lewis Workman in the air from the kick off. Huddersfield used their one man advantage to good effect to establish their pattern of play and pose questions of their visitors defence. Their powerful pack dominated the scrummages and close quarter play throughout giving the team vital go forward momentum. First on the scoresheet was lock Austen Thompson who drove over following a five metre line out on 15 minutes
Harry Davey’s conversion was answered by an Ash Smith penalty for Dale five minutes later heralding a comeback which saw his team take a ten point lead. The Tynedale backs looked dangerous and capable of exploiting any defensive lapses and in quick succession flanker Nick Cairns and Miller went through dog legs in Field’s defensive line for tries, the first of which Smith converted.
On 28 minutes when centre Bramwell Thomas became the second man in his team to spend a spell in the sin bin Huddersfield narrowed the gap. Thomas was penalised for an off side tackle on Huddersfield hooker Francis Entressengle and Nick Sharpe crossed from the catch and drive from the penalty lineout.
With half time approaching Field spurned a good chance to go into the break ahead. A line clearance was neatly pouched and passed inside by Elliot Knight on the right wing and Dale were penalised when the ball was run at them by man of the match Lewis Bradley. A quick tap down from the consequent line out was taken by centre Tom Owen but he lost control of the ball in the tackle in his dive for the line.
Huddersfield were back on terms five minutes after the interval. Having gained possession from the off they mounted a continuous spell of pressure but lost the ball through a knock on close to the line. With the Dale scrum in disarray Field took the ball against the head and Sharpe went over for his second try. Davey’s conversion put them in front once again.
The next few minutes saw good breaks and well worked phases from the home team but no change to the score line. However with Dale’s lively backs looking to shift and run the ball at every opportunity the game still hung in the balance on the hour. When winger James Spencer took a neat pass and cut a beautiful inside 30 metre running line Huddersfield were penalised and Smith took the points.
The last ten minutes belonged to Huddersfield though and they rounded off the match with two more fine tries. Davey scored the first taking an off load from Sharpe near the line following a good break behind another powerful scrum and with time almost up Workman had the final word. With Dale penalised at the scrum once again Davey used the advantage to craft a perfect cross field kick which Workman caught well, rolling out of a tackle for the touch down.
