Wheelchair double-header recap
20/06/2023
Sheffield Eagles 66 – 32 Rochdale Hornets
Saturday 17th June, 1.30pm KO, English Institute Of Sport
Betfred Championship
Sheffield Eagles recorded a thumping third win of the Betfred Championship, moving them up to 4th in the table, over rivals Rochdale Hornets. A determined team performance saw the Eagles on fire in front of a healthy home following in the EIS’s Basketball Hall.
Vicky Brooks opened the Eagles account with just two minutes of the game gone, forcing her way over the line between Rochdale defenders, also converting before the Eagles were in again minutes later with David Butler combining with Stephen Reilly on a blindside play to put the latter in for a try. Brooks’ conversion striking the post. It was Reilly again on 6 minutes, taking Brooks’ sublime inside ball to go over for his brace and it was a Brooks-Reilly combo shortly afterwards that saw Reilly notch up his hat-trick and the Eagles power into a 22-0 lead with just 10 minutes on the clock.
Rochdale came alive with John Waterworth finding his way through on the left, with Kyran Holt converting, before Chris Haynes’s collected Emma Pearson’s pass at the line to restore the advantage with Brooks on target with the kick.
Jordan Holt added a further try, the dual registered Halifax player showing his Super League pace and skill to go through the middle, with Greg Bramwell adding the extras. Haynes added his second try, with a double-dummy to jink through, with Reilly on kicking duties with Brooks interchanged. Waterworth found his way in before the half time whistle, with Bramwell again kicking the goal to bring the half time score to 34-16.
The second half served up the best 40 minutes of the Eagles Wheelchair team’s existence as they soaked up the pressure of Jordan and Kyran Holt, the latter also dual registered with Super League’s Warrington Wolves, whilst slowly and methodically building their own pressure and keeping the scoreboard moving in the right direction.
Reilly bagged his fourth try of the afternoon, but was unable to convert, before Chris Haynes found space on the right edge to add a further score to his tally, Butler hitting the crossbar with the kick. Butler made up for it shortly afterwards, spotting a gap on the left edge and beating the chasers to get his name on the try scorers list, although Brooks couldn’t reach the kick from the touchline. Brooks found space on the last tackle to add a further try for herself, but again the kick was a stretch too far.
The Hornets went through a ten minute purple patch on the hour mark, with Waterworth and a double-whammy from Holt, the latter off a long range kick, and three conversions from Bramwell bringing them within 18 points of the Eagles.
But the Red & Gold knuckled down, Pearson scoring a peach in the corner after Butler drew the defence, Brooks missing the kick, and Reilly adding a fifth try to his tally taking Butler’s long pass, giving Brooks an easy shot on goal. Butler added a final try in final minute, beating the tackler to ground the ball at the line on the left edge, Brooks kicking the goal and the Eagles recording a famous win.
Sheffield Eagles
Emma Pearson, David Butler, Vicky Brooks, Stephen Reilly, Chris Haynes. Interchanges: April Brooks, Will Brooks, Jack Johnson, Lottie Davis-Browne, Ben Simpson
Tries: Vicky Brooks (2, 53), Stephen Reilly (4, 6, 10, 44, 75), Chris Haynes (18, 34, 47), David Butler (50, 78), Emma Pearson (73)
Goals: Vicky Brooks 6/10, Stephen Reilly 1/2, David Butler 0/1
Rochdale Hornets
Greg Bramwell, Gavin Dobson, Kyran Holt, Wes Groot, John Waterworth. Interchanges: Paul Holt, Jordan Holt, Michael Hart, Debbie Johnson.
Tries: John Waterworth (12, 37, 59), Jordan Holt (31, 62, 68)
Goals: Kyran Holt 0/1, Greg Bramwell 4/5
Referees: Kim Abel / Richard Turner
Sheffield Eagles A 18 – 58 York City Knights
Saturday 17th June, 3.15pm KO, English Institute Of Sport
Betfred North Division
A youthful Sheffield Eagles A team went down fighting to York City Knights in their second North Division game of the season.
Two tries for Will Brooks showed the youngster’s potential, with him also adding a conversion from bang in front of the posts, with Jenny Pearson’s return to fitness marked by a great try in the left corner showing her pace and agility whilst Christopher Brown’s try on the final hooter seemed an unlikely try, crashing past the York defence, who were easily twice his body-weight and at least 15 years older, further demonstrating that the future is bright for the Eagles who only made their first foray into Wheelchair Rugby League 18 months ago.
But York were the stars of the contest, with Gary Atkinson bagging five tries as the stand-out player for the visitors to move them into a clear second position in the league.
Sheffield Eagles A
April Brooks, Lottie Davis-Browne, Jack Johnson, Jenny Pearson, Stacey Roulson. Interchanges: Will Brooks, Christopher Brown, Lisa Kelly-Pride, Ian Pride, Stuart Wilkinson
Tries: Will Brooks (33, 73), Jenny Pearson (43), Christopher Brown (80)
Goals: Will Brooks 1/1, Stacey Roulson 0/1, Ian Pride 0/2
York City Knights
Patrick Murphy, Gary Atkinson, Peter Karin, Callum Caper, Shaun Austeneld. Interchanges: Keiron Austeneld, Kan Shepherd, Steve Sprugt, Thomas Atkinson.
Tries: Gary Atkinson (1, 10, 35, 55, 78), Patrick Murphy (19, 41), Peter Karin (22, 24) Callum Caper (50),
Goals: Shaun Austeneld 9/10
Referees: Kyran Holt / Kim Abel
Photo by Sigmund Kasatkin
