Halifax 22 Dewsbury 24: Rams' resolve tested but ultimately not broken by hosts Halifax

Richard Marshall’s side led 6-0 and 16-10 before being overhauled by Glenn Morrison’s Rams. Halifax took a 10th-minute lead when full-back Miles Greenwood slipped over in the corner.

Centre Nick Rawsthorne converted for a 6-0 lead, but Rams moved ahead with two tries either side of the 20-minute mark. Centre Etu Uaisele got the first with a powerful charge to the right corner, with half-back Andy Kain picking off a 60-metre interception a couple of minutes later and Paul Sykes kicking the Rams into a 10-6 lead. Fax scored on the half-hour when captain Scott Murrell kicked ahead and regathered the rebound off the post, Rawsthorne’s kick making it 12-10. And they moved 16-10 ahead at the interval through back-rower Dane Manning.

Dewsbury regained the lead through a Tony Tonks try, converted by Tom Hemingway, and went ahead through Uaisele’s second, though there was some doubt about it and Hemingway’s conversion, which was given by one touch judge but not the other. Rams established an eight-point lead through a Hemingway penalty to go 24-16 ahead with 25 minutes left.

Halifax closed to within two points when Jacob Fairbank stepped through under the posts, Rawsthorne converting, but that was as close as they got.

Halifax: Greenwood; Saltonstall, Rawsthorne, Heaton, Sharp; G. Moore, Murrell; Cahalane, B. Moore, Boyle, Manning, Tangata, Fairbank. Subs: Bennion, A. Robinson, C. Robinson, Barber

Dewsbury: Guzdek; Morton, Sykes, Crookes, Uaisele; Speakman, Kain; Stringer, Hemingway, Trout, Hale, Walshaw, Brown. Subs: Spicer, Tonks, Glover, Teanby

Referee: M. Woodhead.