Batley Bulldogs 42 Dewsbury Rams 22: Rams fade as Batley work slope to their advantage

Bulldogs' Brad Day is caught by a high tackle from Kyle Trout, of Dewsbury Rams. PIC: Tony Johnson

Batley ran in five unanswered tries playing down the slope, all of which were improved by Patch Walker as the Rams were stifled of possession. The Bulldogs led inside two minutes. A penalty put them deep in Batley territory and Alistair Leak produced a short pass to send Adam Gledhill crashing over, with Dave Scott converting.

Batley stormed back up the slope and the ball was worked wide right for Keenan Tomlinson to score.

Dewsbury clicked into gear and hit back with two quick-fire tries, Lucas Walshaw bouncing off tacklers then youngster Tobias Richardson storming through. Paul Sykes converted both. Scott levelled matters at 12-12 with a 21st-minute penalty but Dewsbury hit the front again when Sykes produced a looping pass to put James Glover over wide out.

Bulldogs try scorer, Keenan Tomlinson. PIC: Tony Johnson

Danny Igbinedion was sin-binned for an off-the-ball incident but it was while down the 12 men that Dewsbury grabbed a fourth try, Dominic Speakman nipping over from acting half-back and Sykes converted for 22-12 at half-time.

Batley took control with three tries in the space of seven minutes. Winger Wayne Reittie scored in the corner (Walker added a touchline goal), James Harrison raced behind the posts (Walker edged his side in front with the conversion), and Dane Manning crashed over from close range, with Walker adding his third conversion.

Dewsbury had one chance in the second half, prop Kyle Trout produced a crossfield kick for Glover to flick the ball back inside but Adam Ryder was judged to have bounced the ball in the act of scoring.

Batley moved straight to the other end of the field and the ball was worked out for Reittie to grab his second try, goaled by Walker. Dewsbury’s misery was completed when a Sykes kick hit a Batley player and bounced into the arms of Brad Day, who raced down the slope to score by the posts and give Walker a simple conversion to cap an impressive derby victory.

Rams' Tobias Richardson and Kyle Trout combine to tackle Bulldogs playmaker Dom Brambani. PIC: Tony Johnson

Batley Bulldogs: Scott; Reittie, Tomlinson, Galbraith, Campbell; Jouffret, Brambani; Gledhill, Leak, Harrison, Manning, Farrell, Day. Subs: Walker, Brown, Rowe, Bretherton.

Dewsbury Rams: Guzdek; Ryder, Glover, Hallett, Morton; Sykes, Moore; Everett, Ward, Trout, Walshaw, Robinson, Crowther. Subs: Speakman, Delaney, Teanby, Igbinedion.

Referee: Jack Smith.

Attendance: 1,485.