West Wales 10 Hunslet 50: Half-century haul gets Hunslet up and running in style

Young winger Kiedan Hartley helped himself to a hat-trick in a win that could have been even more emphatic but for several try-scoring opportunities going astray in very wet conditions.

Simon Brown was wide with the first two conversion attempts and Tom Ashton fared no better when he took over after the third try had been registered – Dom Brambani enjoying a better subsequent return, hitting the target five times from seven shots.

West Wales actually went in front when Dai Evans crossed in the third minute, before Hunslet established a 12-4 lead midway through the first half with a Jimmy Watson touchdown and the first two of Hartley’s tries.

The Raiders, though, pegged Hunslet back to two points when Daf Phillips burrowed over on 26 minutes, Danny Price adding the extras.

But the Parksiders established a 24-10 interval lead through touchdowns for Jordan Andrade and Nathan Conroy, both of which Brambani converted, although three chances went begging in the last ten minutes of the half.

And it was one-way traffic in the second period, Hunslet breaching the half-century mark with unanswered tries by Hartley, Josh Tonks, Vila Halafihi, Ben Markland and, four minutes from time, Ashton.

Raiders: Phil Cowburn, Dai Evans, Emosi Nadaubale, Rowland Kaye, Robert Matamosi, Bailey Liu, Danny Price, Sam Herron, Daf Phillips, Harry Boots, Ryan Shallish, Archie Snook, Mitch Shaw. Subs: Jamie Laing, Alan Pope, Alex Hicken, Charlie Bodman.

Hunslet: Jimmy Watson, Ben Markland, Ben Heaton, Tom Ashton, Kiedan Hartley, Simon Brown, Dom Brambani, Alex Rowe, Jack Lee, Harry Kidd, Josh Tonks, Duane Straugheir, Vila Halafihi. Subs: Nathan Conroy, Jordan Andrade, Harvey Hallas, Jack Ray.

Referee: Neil Horton Attendance: 282