Dominant Bulldogs secure derby win over Rams

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, playing in a one off pink strip as part of their annual breast cancer fundraising weekend, made an excellent start and led inside two minutes.

A penalty put them on attack deep in Batley territory and after Dane Manning was held up by the posts, Alistair Leak produced a short pass to send Adam Gledhill crashing over, with Dave Scott converting.

The Rams looked to respond but when an attack broke down, Batley stormed back up the slope and the ball was worked right to Keenan Tomlinson, who shrugged off a defender on his way to scoring at the corner.

Dewsbury then clicked into gear and hit back with two quickfire tries.

Paul Sykes made crossfield run and fed Lucas Walshaw, who bounced off a tackle to plant the ball down and Sykes converted.

Two minutes later Robbie Ward and Gareth Moore linked to send former Dewsbury Moor youngster Tobias Richardson storming through a gap and behind the posts to give Sykes a simple conversion.

Scott levelled matters at 12-12 with a 21st minute penalty but Dewsbury hit the front again when Sykes produced a lovely looping pass to put James Glover over wide out.

Danny Igbinedion was sin-binned for kicking out at Joel Farrell in an off the ball incident but it was while down the 12 men that Dewsbury grabbed a fourth try.

Sykes launched a penalty 60 metres downfield to set up an attack and having driven close to the line, Dominic Speakman nipped over from acting half-back and Sykes converted as the Rams led 22-12 at half-time.

Dewsbury survived the early stages of the second half while Igbinedion remained in the sin-bin but Batley then took control with three in the space of seven minutes.

With the Bulldogs piling on pressure they regathered possession after the ball came loose and it was worked wide for winger Wayne Reittie to score at the corner and Walker added a terrific touchline goal.

Batley stormed down the slope on the back of a penalty and they worked play right, creating a gap for James Harrison to race through and score behind the posts and Walker edged his side in front with the conversion.

Another Bulldogs penalty put them back on attack and Manning crashed over from close range, with Walker adding his third conversion.

Dewsbury’s only chance of the second half came when they kept the ball alive on the last tackle.

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 of the afternoon, with Walker putting the result beyond doubt with another terrific goal.

Dewsbury’s misery was complete when a Sykes kick hit a Batley play 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.

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.