Batley Bulldogs test will be an important benchmark for Hunslet says Gary Thornton

The Parksiders, who host Batley Bulldogs on Sunday, fended off a Bradford rally from 14 points down to seal victory with a late try by rampaging prop Jordan Andrade, with impressive debut stand-off Danny Rowse booting his third goal.

Head coach Gary Thornton reflected: “I’m pleased we saw the win through. We got into winning positions so often last year, only to end up losing matches.

“This time we finished on top. Our half-backs Dom Brambani and Danny Rowse managed the game impressively and we defended well in the closing stages.

“The crowd was excellent on Sunday and we’re hoping for a similarly good attendance against Batley. They’re likely to fetch plenty of supporters and I’m sure our own fans will again turn up in numbers.

“It will be another good test of us, and a step up from the Bradford game as the Bulldogs are likely to field their Championship side. It’ll also be a benchmark of how far we’ve progressed in our preparations from the same time last year, when we played Batley in the Yorkshire Cup. And the game means a lot to many of us personally; I played for and coached Batley, and my assistants at Hunslet, Gary Barnett and Mark Cass, also played for the Bulldogs.