Match Report | Hull KR Wheelchair 36-58 Sheffield Eagles Wheelchair

29/01/2024

Sheffield Eagles Wheelchair side got their 2024 season underway with a winning start away to Hull Kingston Rovers in a pre-season friendly on Sunday morning.

Rovers were first to draw blood as Alan Sheriff pounced on a loose ball early in the tackle count of the first set and Simon Bromwich went over to open the scoring, before adding the conversion. 

Sheffield rallied and shortly afterwards, David Butler found Will Brooks in space on the left wing for the youngster to race away and score, before replicating his first try minutes later on the other side of the field, scoring for the second time in the game. Butler added the conversion to add extra points on the board for the Eagles.

Butler went on to have a long-range effort cancelled out for a wheel over the dead ball line, before the home side levelled through Gary Sweeney, but Bromwich couldn’t add the extras with the conversion.

Will Brooks completed his hat trick with less than 15 minutes of the game played, as the youngster again showed pace in space to score after Chris Haynes drew the defence.  

Bromwich added a further try and conversion to push Rovers in front, with Matthew Felmingham also crossing and Bromwich again on target with the conversion to stretch the lead, before the Eagles stepped up a gear with Ben Simpson scything his way through at the line. 

April Brooks collected mum Vicky’s short ball in space to open her try scoring account, with Butler adding the extras, before Butler then added a short range try on the right edge to give the visitors a slender 22-28 lead at the break.

The Eagles started the second half strongly as Stacey Roulson caught a short ball at the line to barge her way over to score, setting up a formality of a conversion for Shaun Orton, but they were caught napping at the restart, fumbling the ball and giving Felmingham a gift of a try, with Sheriff converting.

Sheffield responded as Orton cruised into a gaping hole at the line to score before Vicky Brookes added another try after collecting Butler’s pass out wide. Chris Haynes then added a well-deserved try after shimmying his way through the Robin’s defence.

After Eagles missed the previous two conversions, Butler added some extra added points to add to the scoreline.

Rovers added a couple of consolation tries as Mia Moffitt finished a move which went from right to left, before Gary Sweeney added a second on the opposite side. Both tries were unconverted by Sheriff.

April Brooks rounded off an impressive win for the Eagles late on with a brace of tries firstly racing away from deep to score under the posts, before finishing off a great move on the left-hand side to add more points.

Ben Simpson scored a late conversion to round off an impressive 36-58 victory for the Sheffield Eagles Wheelchair side.

Hull Kingston Rovers: Alan Sheriff, Simon Bromwich, Gary Sweeney, Stuart Jacob, Aaron Good. Interchanges: Joseph Davidson, Matthew Felmingham, Mia Moffitt, Kya Lowthorpe, Barry McGuigan, Belle Blakeston, Michael Sheriff, Joseph Bottomley.

Tries: Simon Bromwich (2’, 23’), Gary Sweeney (10’, 62’), Matthew Felmingham (27’, 41’), Mia Molfitt (60’),

Goals: Simon Bromwich (3/4), Alan Sheriff (1/3)

Sheffield Eagles: Shaun Orton, Ben Wilson, Will Brooks, David Butler, Chris Haynes. Interchanges: Jack Johnson, Barry Grayson, Vicky Brooks, April Brooks, Joe Wink-Simmonds, James Birchnall, Ben Simpson, Julie Fimusanmi, Stacey Roulson.

Tries: Will Brooks (4’, 6’, 13’), Ben Simpson (30’), April Brooks (34’, 71’, 74’), David Butler (37’), Stacey Roulson (41’), Shaun Orton (50’), Vicky Brooks (53’), Chris Haynes (56’),

Goals: David Butler (3/7), Joe Wink Simmonds (0/1), Shaun Orton (1/1), Will Brooks (0/1), Ben Simpson (1/2)

Referees: Jake Brook / Ewan Clibbens