Halifax vs Dewsbury (play-offs) - match report

Halifax’s season has come to an end after crashing out of the play-offs to Dewsbury Rams in a 25 – 0 defeat at the Shay.

Former Fax man, Anthony Thackeray, scored two tries, one in each half, along with four pointers from Sam Wood and Tommy Gallagher in the second 40.

Kieran Hyde kicked a penalty goal and a drop goal in the opening stanza to make it 9 – 0 at the interval.

Joe Martin made his Halifax debut at full-back, replacing top try scorer Ryan Fieldhouse.

Fax almost got the opening points of the afternoon after 11 minutes. Steve Tyrer, returning from injury, forced a knock on in Dewsbury’s in-goal area. The centre’s pass around the back five tackles later was dropped by his winger Tommy Saxton.

However, the visitors took the lead three minutes later. Tom Hemingway’s kick cannoned off the back of a Fax man, he re-gathered and sent Thackeray away.

Glenn Morrison’s side pushed themselves 8 – 0 up before the half hour mark, as Hyde kicked a penalty goal from 40 metres out.

Halifax applied plenty of pressure on their visitors, enough for them to concede back-to-back goal-line drop outs, and give away two penalties. However, Fax failed to get on the board.

The home side continued to search for some points when Paul Mennell dabbed a kick through, Dewsbury diffused the situation and were forced into another drop out.

Hyde then nudged the Rams nine points ahead two minutes before the break when he slotted over a drop goal. A reward for Dewsbury soaking up plenty of pressure.

The Rams began the second half with more points, as Thackeray’s kick to the corner was collected by Wood off the deck. Hyde missed the conversion.

The lead was stretched to 19 points before the hour mark, as Hemingway went close to scoring from dummy half, only for Hyde to kick in behind the defence in the next tackle for Gallagher to touch down unopposed.

Frustration was creeping in as Halifax were penalised back-to-back to hand Dewsbury possession inside their own half. Hyde opted for another shot at goal, only to see his kick drift wide.

Victory was assured seven minutes from the full-time hooter. Hemingway once again being the architect, drifting a kick towards open space and Thackeray collected one-handed and spun out of the tackle to plant the ball down and to send Dewsbury 80 minutes from the Grand Final.