Match Report | Sheffield Eagles 14-28 Halifax Panthers
16/02/2025
The Eagles were defeated 14-28 in our Betfred Championship season opener this afternoon against Halifax Panthers.
Craig Lingard handed a full debut to half back Morgan Smith following his arrival from Hull FC, whilst there was also a place on the interchange bench for the returning Reiss Butterworth.
After an even contest for the opening twenty-five minutes in South Yorkshire, it was Smith who found a gap within the Halifax line on the last tackle. The half back managed to ground the ball for a try on his debut, and for the game’s first score.
Six minutes later, Joel Farrell added a second Eagles try as the Sheffield captain spotted a gap to race through to score after we opted to go left in attack.
Halifax narrowed the lead as they got themselves off the scoreboard shortly after as Tibbs’ kick over the top was finished off in goal by Tom Inman.
A successful conversion by Louis Jouffret narrowed the game to 8-6 in the way of the home side, but a Lewis Peachey try a minute before the break added a little extra cushion between the two sides as we headed into the break 14-6.
Halifax scored the second half’s first points as an attack down the left-hand side saw the ball get grounded out wide by new signing Owen McCarron.
Only seven minutes later, the visitors went ahead for the first time in the contest as McCarron was first to the ball after a deflected kick through the Eagles line. The Halifax man grounded the ball for his second try in only a matter of minutes.
From there, the visitors scored twice more inside the final ten minutes of the game as tries from Brad Graham and Ben Tibbs secured a 14-28 victory for Halifax in the season opener.
We return to league action next weekend when we travel to The DCBL Stadium to take on Widnes Vikings in Round 2 of the Betfred Championship (3pm KO).
Sheffield Eagles: Walker, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Foster, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Smith, Broadbent, Bussey, Dickinson, Farrell, Hodgson, Gwaze
Interchanges (all used): Battye, Millar, Peachey, Butterworth
18th Man (used): Matongo
Tries: Smith (25’), Farrell (31’), Peachey (39’)
Goals: Aston (1/3)
Halifax Panthers: Jouffret, Tibbs, Hurrell, Crooks, Saltonstall. Woodburn-Hall, Hansen, Douglas, O’Brien, Dixon, McCarron, McComb, Fairbank
Interchanges: Inman, Hird, Calcott, Graham
18th Man (not used): Davies
Tries: Inman , McCarron (50’, 57’), Graham (71’), Tibbs (75’)
Goals: Jouffret (4/5)
Attendance: 1,101
Referee: C. Worsley
