Match Report | Sheffield Eagles 28-0 Halifax Panthers

06/07/2024

The Eagles beat Halifax Panthers for the second time this season following an impressive 28-0 victory at Olympic Legacy Park on Friday evening.

The victory sees us go four points clear in second in the Betfred Championship league table.  

Mark Aston named four changes to his starting thirteen ahead of Friday’s game as Tyler Dickinson, Titus Gwaze, Conner Bower and Bayley Liu all returned into the side.

After a slow start from both sides, it was Sheffield who broke the deadlock just over a quarter of the way through the game as Cory Aston’s cross-field kick on the last tackle found the hands of Kris Welham in the right-hand corner, he executed a quick offloaded to Ben Jones-Bishop and with nobody around him, he walked his way over the try-line to get the game’s first points.

Aston’s conversion effort was on target and to perfection, meaning the hosts took a 6-0 lead.

Sheffield ensured they went into the sheds at half-time in double figures as Aston’s kick to the corner on the last fell into Matty Dawson-Jones’ reach, before he palmed the ball back into play where Liu was first to react to pounce onto the loose ball and score for the Eagles.

Dawson-Jones opened the second half with a wonderful swan-dive in the corner following good hands in the Eagles pack to pull the ball out to the left-hand side. Aston’s effort was again successful as he took the game to 16-0. 

Following a red card for Halifax’s Zack McComb just before the hour mark, Sheffield further extended their lead with two tries within quick succession.

The first try came as Matty Marsh played a quick offload just over 10m from the try-line to Jones-Bishop, who managed to get the ball down in the corner following pressure from a body of Halifax defenders, before Eddie Battye latched onto a short-ball from Gwaze to get the ball under the sticks for a simple score.

Aston added a late penalty from in front as the hooter sounded, ensuring the Eagles secured a fourth successive league victory in the Betfred Championship, and secured a 28-0 victory for the boys in red and gold.

The Eagles return to action next Sunday as we take on Swinton Lions at Olympic Legacy Park (3pm KO).

Sheffield Eagles: Marsh, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Liu, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Bower, Farrell, Gwaze

Interchanges: Hodgson, Clark, Wood, Sene-Lefao

18th Man: Murphy

Tries: Jones-Bishop (24’, 63’), Liu (40’), Dawson-Jones (51’), Battye (67')

Goals: Aston (4/6)

Halifax Panthers: Widdop, McComb, Barber, Woodburn-Hall, Graham, Jouffret, Keyes, Tangata, O’Brien, Fairbank, Kavanagh, Gee, Lannon

Interchanges: Johnson, Larroyer, Davies, Boyer

18th Man: Hursey-Hord

Attendance: 1,023

Referee: C.Worsley

MOTM: Eddie Battye