Match Report | Halifax Panthers 14-28 Sheffield Eagles

16/05/2026

Photo by Simon Hall

Sheffield Eagles secured back-to-back victories in the Betfred Championship with an impressive 28-14 win over Halifax Panthers under the Friday night lights at The Shay.

Fresh from last weekend’s away success against Workington Town, Craig Lingard’s side made the trip across West Yorkshire looking to continue their momentum, and they wasted little time doing exactly that.

Lingard made two changes to the side that won in Cumbria, with Martyn Reilly and Kai Morgan both returning to the squad.

Just as they had only five days earlier, the Eagles flew out of the blocks. After only four minutes, Joe Brown opened the scoring on the left edge after Kieran Gill kept the attack alive brilliantly on the final tackle.

Ryan Millar looked to have added a second shortly after, only to be held up just short of the line. The winger was not to be denied for long though, diving over in the right corner minutes later to extend Sheffield’s advantage. Jordan Abdull produced an excellent touchline conversion to give the visitors an impressive 10-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

Halifax responded midway through the half when a kick to the corner was brilliantly kept alive, allowing Owen McCarron to touch down. Abdull, however, calmly added a penalty goal soon after to restore Sheffield’s eight-point cushion.

The Eagles finished the first half strongly and extended their lead further three minutes before the break. Lewis Peachey powered onto a short ball close to the line and grounded confidently to send Sheffield into half-time with an 18-4 lead.

The visitors continued their dominance after the restart. Just eight minutes into the second half, Billy Walkley crossed for his 14th try of the season after Halifax failed to deal with a towering Abdull kick, stretching the lead to 22-4.

The Panthers threatened a comeback with quickfire tries from Ben Tibbs and Alfie Johnson, reducing the deficit to eight points heading into the final quarter.

But Lingard’s men showed composure and maturity when it mattered most. Smart game management helped the Eagles regain control, and Walkley grabbed his second try of the evening following slick attacking play. Another Abdull penalty then sealed the victory and completed a deserved 28-14 success.

The Eagles will now look to build on consecutive victories when they host London Broncos next Sunday (24 May) at The MEPS International Home of Football Stadium (3pm kick-off).

The Eagles made it back-to-back victories last night in the Betfred Championship with a 14-28 win against Halifax Panthers at The Shay.

Fresh from beating Workington Town on the road last Sunday, it was a quick turnaround for Craig Lingard’s side as they headed across to West Yorkshire for this Friday night fixture.Two changes were made by Lingard as he looked for his side to secure a second win in a row. Martyn Reilly and Kai Morgan were both recalled into action, with them both missing Sunday’s trip to Cumbria.

Just like Sunday, the Eagles made a very fast start at The Shay as they opened the scoring after only four minutes as Joe Brown crashed over on the left-hand side after the ball was kept alive in attack by Kieran Gill on the last tackle.

Ryan Millar went close to scoring another try for himself moments later but he was deemed short of the line after fourteen minutes, but only moments later, he was able to dive over in the right corner to extend the Eagles’ lead.

Jordan Abdull added the touchline conversion, creating an early 0-10 lead inside the opening twenty minutes.

The hosts responded shortly after as a kick to the corner was palmed back into play, allowing Owen McCarron to touch down for his side on twenty-three minutes, but a smart penalty conversion by Abdull saw the Eagles extend their lead again, back to an eight point gap.

Three minutes before the break, Sheffield extended their lead even further as Lewis Peachey grounded the ball, after running onto it with pace from close-range, creating a 4-18 lead at the break in favour of Sheffield.

Winger Billy Walkley crossed for his fourteenth try of the season only eight minutes after the break after the home side were unable to deal with a kick high by Abdull on the last tackle, adding a fourth try of the evening for Sheffield for a 4-22 lead.

Halifax responded with two-quick fire tries through Ben Tibbs and Alfie Johnson as they closed the gap to only eight points as we headed into the final twenty minutes.

But smart game management by Lingard’s men inside the final twenty minutes. Inside that period, Walkley crashed over for his second of the game after some neat build-up play, before another Abdull penalty saw the Eagles go fourteen points ahead again.

They held on for a great win under the West Yorkshire Friday night lights, and will look to take confidence from their second win in a row into next Sunday’s (24th May) clash against London Broncos at The MEPS International Home of Football Stadium (3pm KO).

Halifax Panthers: Brough, Johnson, Carter, McComb, Tibbs, Soric, Lawford, Salabio, Halafihi, Gittens, Fairbank, McCarron, Calcott

Interchanges (all used): Curtis Davies, Connor Davies, Forster, Fishwick

18th Man: Will

Tries: McCarron (23’), Tibbs (54’), Johnson (60’)

Goals: Lawford (1/3)

Sheffield Eagles: Brown, Millar, Oakes, Gill, Walkley, Morgan, Abdull, Matongo, Johnson, Reilly, Bower, Hodson, Bowes

Interchanges (all used): Butterworth, Broadbent, Foster, Peachey

18th Man: Ellis

Tries: Brown (4’), Millar (17’), Peachey (37’), Walkley (48’, 69’)

Goals: Abdull (1/4), Morgan (1/1)

Penalties: Abdull (2/2)

Referee: J. Vella