Flanagan treble as quickfire Bulldogs seal derby triumph
Batley Bulldogs 36 Dewsbury Rams 18 By Angela Walker
BATLEY Bulldogs produced an explosive start, scoring two tries in the first three minutes, to lay a strong foundation for only their second Boxing Day Challenge success in the last five years.
The promising start suggested a high-scoring game was on the cards, but in truth there were too many needless mistakes by both sides to make this a classic for the 2,159 fans who had turned out on a crisp Boxing Day morning.
Batley pressed home their advantage to take a 22-8 lead at half-time. Dewsbury battled back and showed admirable determination in the second half but it wasn't enough and Batley convincingly won the Roy Powell Trophy.
Batley unveiled four new players with a couple making a big impact. Centre Chris Buttery, recovered from flu, instantly caught the eye, opening the scoring in the first minute as he ran onto a Byron Smith pass after good work by Mark Toohey.
Hooker George Flanagan made his mark with a hat-trick after coming off the bench while forwards Nathan Armitage and David Toothill, also on debut, made promising contributions.
Batley's threat was underlined in the third minute when winger Nat Brown powered through Dewsbury tacklers and slipped a ball to the supporting Johnny Campbell, who hared between the posts from 40 yards, leaving Mark Barlow an easy conversion.
Dewsbury, playing downhill, wrongfooted Batley after seven minutes and some neat passing saw Patrick Walker send in Rob Spicer to touch down. Pat Walker pulled his conversion attempt wide.
Batley stamped their authority on the game after 10 minutes when Paul Mennell initiated a move which included Danny Maun and the ex-Dewsbury man sent in Brown to score in the corner. Barlow landed the extras from the touchline to give his side a 16-4 lead.
There were glimpses of what Dewsbury have to offer and big Keegan Hirst will be welcomed back for the sheer power he gives the side.
Batley were denied a try after Mennell, John Gallagher and Smith linked well with the line at their mercy but a Dewsbury hand glanced the ball to safety.
The game was kept entertaining as Dewsbury tried to respond and they were rewarded with a smart try after 25 minutes when substitute Luke Haigh sent out a pass to Austin Buchanan on the wing. He eventually controlled the ball and juggled it before jinking inside a Batley tackler to touch down. The touchline conversion attempt by Walker was missed.
In between the glimpses of what both sides can do there was also the rustiness which comes from several months without competitive rugby, not least the experienced Maun who dropped the ball with the line at his mercy.
Flanagan had replaced Gallagher and took an early chance to show his worth as he got on the end of a deft pass by Ash Lindsay to power between the posts for a try. Mennell's conversion gave Batley a 22-8 lead at half-time.
Dewsbury showed a hunger for points at the start of the second half and were rewarded when Walker found full- back Lee Lingard and he slipped out a fine pass to Adam Robinson to plough over in the corner.
Dewsbury were unlucky not to have Spicer on the scoresheet again as he lost control of the ball as he tried to ground it over the line.
Batley lacked their first-half momentum and were far more error prone but they still looked too strong for Dewsbury. They proved it when winger Feehan judged a high kick by Barlow, took it well and turned to score in the corner.
Flanagan stretched Batley's lead after 62 minutes with a memorable try, swerving in and out of three Dewsbury players before scoring between the posts. Barlow's conversion gave Batley a comfortable cushion at 32-12.
But as the game petered out the mistakes continued and Lindsay gifted a stray pass to Dewsbury's Chris Spurr who lapped it up, running 40 yards unchallenged to score a try which Walker goaled.
In the final minute Flanagan completed his hat-trick with a smart dash from out of a melee but Barlow missed the conversion from in front of the posts.
It was a good win for Batley and showcased their new signings but there is still plenty of work for them to do.
Dewsbury will be glad of the run-out. Coach Warren Jowitt chose to utilise eight substitutes and as a result they appeared disjointed and were unable to string together any lengthy periods of sustained pressure.
Batley Bulldogs: Campbell; Brown, Buttery, Maun, Feehan; Barlow, Mennell; Smith, Gallagher, Stenchion, Toothill, Armitage, Toohey. Subs all used: Lindsay, Flanagan, Henderson, Simpson, Potter.
Dewsbury Rams: Lingard; Buchanan, Powell, Crawley, Spurr; Smith, Tillotson; I Tonks, Emmett, Hirst, Spicer, Robinson, Walker. Subs all used: Hayes, Cook, Wilson, Greenwood, Haigh, Colleran, Starkey, J Tonks.
Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley).
Attendance: 2,159.
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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