Second-half blitz brings Halifax Panthers the points at Sheffield Eagles

SHEFFIELD EAGLES 14 HALIFAX PANTHERS 28
DAN FOWLER, Olympic Legacy Park, Sunday

HALIFAX stepped up in the second half to get their league campaign off to a blistering start.

Kyle Eastmond’s side overturned an eight-point deficit by scoring four tries without reply, and whatever the coach said to his players at the break certainly had the desired effect.

St Helens centre Konrad Hurrell, playing on dual registration, didn’t get on the scoresheet, but nevertheless looked dangerous for Halifax while forward duo Brandon Douglas and Jacob Fairbank, making his 250th appearance for the club, were stand-outs.

For most of the opening quarter, almost everything went Halifax’s way, but they just couldn’t get over the Sheffield line.

Ben Tibbs broke through for an early opportunity but didn’t make the most of it, rejecting the chance to feed either James Woodburn-Hall or Louis Jouffret before being stripped one-on-one by Ben Jones-Bishop.

A liking for last-tackle high kicks, rather than chancing their arm down the flanks, meant Sheffield pair Jack Walker and Matty Dawson-Jones were kept busy as they dealt with the danger.

The game exploded into life with three tries between 21 and 27 minutes as both teams expressed their attacking prowess.

Sheffield struck the first two blows, the opener aided by a charged-down Reiss Butterworth kick scooped up by prop Tyler Dickinson. Morgan Smith spotted a gap in the Halifax defence and jinked over.

Cory Aston couldn’t convert, likewise when Joel Farrell pounced after smart hands down the left as the Eagles enjoyed a bright spell.

Halifax got on the board when Tibbs sped down the left and put in a well-weighted kick for Tom Inman to score. Jouffret tagged on the two.

Sheffield scored close to the half-time hooter when Lewis Peachey notched from close range, and this time Aston converted for 14-6.

One-way traffic would not be an understatement to describe the second half as Halifax really put their foot on the accelerator.

Belief started to grow when a nicely-worked move to the left was finished by Owen McCarron. Jouffret’s conversion put two points between the teams.

A defensive effort, with Halifax penning Sheffield inside their own ten metres for a full set, was the catalyst to success for the visitors.

Sheffield struggled to wrestle back momentum and Halifax’s territorial advantage paid dividends when McCarron scored again and Jouffret kicked the goal.

During the final quarter, two Halifax tries in quick succession ended the game as a contest.

Brad Graham hit a fine line to get onto Woodburn-Hall’s pass before Tibbs took advantage of a neat Ben Crooks offload. Jouffret improved the second.

GAMESTAR: Jacob Fairbank produced a stellar performance in the Panthers pack, helping his side turn the tide in the second half.

GAMEBREAKER: Brad Graham’s try on 68 minutes put two scores between the sides.

MATCHFACTS
EAGLES
26 Jack Walker
2 Ben Jones-Bishop
3 Kris Welham
23 Alex Foster
5 Matty Dawson-Jones
6 Cory Aston
7 Morgan Smith
16 Blake Broadbent
18 Jack Bussey
10 Tyler Dickinson
15 Evan Hodgson
12 Joel Farrell
13 Titus Gwaze
Subs
8 Eddie Battye
14 Reiss Butterworth
20 Lewis Peachey
21 Ryan Millar (not used)
18th man (used)
22 Masi Matongo

Tries: Smith (21), Farrell (24), Peachey (37)
Goals: Aston 1/3

PANTHERS
1 Louis Jouffret
2 Ben Tibbs
31 Konrad Hurrell
4 Ben Crooks
5 James Saltonstall
6 James Woodburn-Hall
7 Jack Hansen
8 Brandon Douglas
9 Adam O’Brien
16 Ronan Dixon
11 Owen McCarron
19 Zack McComb
13 Jacob Fairbank
Subs (all used)
10 Joe Hird
14 Tom Inman
17 Will Calcott
20 Brad Graham