Match Report | Sheffield Eagles 36-13 Dewsbury Rams

24/05/2024

Sheffield Eagles returned to winning ways this evening in the Betfred Championship following a 36-13 victory over Dewsbury Rams.

After trailing 12-13 at the break, Mark Aston's side scored five times in the second half to cap off a better second half performance from the Eagles.

Aston named seven changes to his starting thirteen, as Ryan Millar, Jack Hansen, Vila Halafihi, Mitch Clark, Connor Bower, Joel Farrell & Evan Hodgson returned in place of Ben Jones-Bishop, Anthony Thackeray, Kyle Wood, Tyler Dickinson, Alex Foster, Jesse Sene-Lefao & Titus Gwaze.

Dewsbury took the lead early on in the game as Calum Turner grubbered through, Bailey O’Connor caught the ball inside the try area to place the ball down giving the Rams a four point lead. Turner kicked his conversion effort just left of the post and converted to take them into a 0-6 lead. 

The visitors thought they had added another try to their tally inside ten minutes through James Beckett, but the referee called held on the try-line.

Sheffield drew the game level eleven minutes later as Kris Welham scored his 200th career try. James Glover’s outstanding footwork carried the Eagles forward before the ball was played from left to right. Welham was too strong for the Dewsbury defence and forced his way over the try-line. Cory Aston’s kick just right of the post sailed though the sticks to bring the game level.

Welham doubled the Eagles’ lead on the half-hour mark. Matty Marsh created acres of space for Welham who walked his way over the try-line in the corner. Aston again, made no mistake with his touchline conversion.

Dewsbury pulled the game back level just shy of half-time as Jack Billington latched onto a cross field kick in the air to dive over the try-line. Turner maintained his 100% record with the boot. On the stroke of half time, Turner dropped a goal giving the visitors a 12-13 lead.

The Eagles went back-to-back inside two minutes early on in the second half. The first came following a quick ball from Aston, which gave Farrell room in the middle to force his way over the try-line, before Ollie Roberts charged through the Dewsbury line from halfway, who played the ball inside to Matty Marsh who saw only the try-line ahead of him.

Dawson-Jones then went back-to-back himself inside five minutes. Both tries saw brilliant build-up play from Marsh and Glover down the left hand side. Dawson-Jones’ leaping swan dive gave him his first try, before diving over the line for his second. He thought he had a hat-trick shortly after as he went over the line once again, but referee Ryan Cox deemed the ball held.

The Eagles wrapped up victory three minutes from time as Bower scored on his return to the field following a grubber kick through from Hansen. 

The Eagles hit the road next Sunday afternoon, taking on a struggling Batley Bulldogs side at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium (3pm KO). Book your place on the ‘Fun Bus’ now!

Sheffield Eagles: Marsh, Millar, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Hansen, Battye, Halafihi, Clark, Bower, J.Farrell, Hodgson
Interchanges: Wood, Liu, Roberts, Sene-Lefao
18th Man: Foster
Tries: Welham (18’, 30’), Farrell (51’), Marsh (53’), Dawson-Jones (60’, 65’), Bower (77’)
Conversions: Aston 4/7

Dewsbury Rams: O’Connor, Restall, Walker, Greensmith, Corion, Turner, Hookem, Beckett, Davies, Dixon, Billington, Garside, Collinson.
Interchanges: Butterworth, Bibby, Ferguson, Morris
18th Man: Dawson
Tries: O’Connor (7’), Billington (36’)
Conversions: Turner 1/1
Drop Goals: Turner 1/1

Referee: R.Cox
Attendance: 971

MOTM: J.Farrell