Under 18s League Leadership Award

Team Secretary Paul Heath was presented with the League Leadership (Eastern Division) Trophy at the playoff final at Bigfellas Stadium.

Warriors U18s enjoyed an extremely successful first season in the Gillette National Youth League and were very unlucky to miss the playoff final, losing at the last gasp in the semis. Paul said ‘ All at the club are extremely proud of the achievements of Simon and Chris Peach and their squad, many of whom are still young enough to be eligible for the team next season, while others are already forcing their way into the more senior teams’.

TO THE EDGE AND BACK

 

The conditions were set fair for Hunslet Warriors to resume their promising league start by entertaining SLAITHWAITE SARACENS on their first visit to Warrior Park.

 

From the league table and their results, it appeared that the visitors had made a promising but inconsistent start to the campaign and faced a HUNSLET side having to respond to a mauling from Meltham in their last game.

 

The match started with Slawit having all the early play with their big front row making inroads in to the Warriors defence. It came as no surprise to the watching crowd when the Saracens took a deserved lead with a good try in the left hand corner of the Hunslet back line.

The visitors failed to add the conversion but still led 4 – 0.

 

The Warriors seemed to be suffering a hangover from the last match and it was probably against the run of play that saw the home team draw level. REECE WHITEHOUSE displayed a brilliant piece of individualism to score in the corner and despite failing to add the extras, it was all square at 4 – 4.

 

The score seemed to galvanise the WARRIORS side and both JACK BAXTER AND JACK HALLIDAY answered the call with a couple of excellent line breaking runs. The Hunslet lads were being prompted by both NATHAN SEFTON and the returning SHERIDAN WHITE (How good was it to see this lad back!) and started to dominate the play.

 

From a quick play the ball, SEFTON showed his undoubted class to go on his own and score right under the sticks. He added two points to his own try and WARRIORS LED 10 – 4.

 

Shortly before the break and after four repeat sets, SARACENS scored their second try through their impressive No 10 and added the extras to go in at the interval all square at 10 – 10.

 

Half time  HUNSLET WARRIORS  10  v  10  SLAITHWAITE SARACENS

 

The second half commenced in a similar vain to the first with the visitors seeing plenty of the ball. However, after another fine run from RAMBO, WHITEHOUSE scored his second try of the match and again showed what a top player he can be. The try was successfully converted by SEFTON and the WARRIORS nosed ahead once again 16 – 10.

 

After a number of unforced errors by the home team, SLAWIT deservedly equalised under the posts to level matters up once more at 16 – 16. The next pattern of play saw more SARACENS pressure and the HUNSLET team defending for their lives.

 

With only minutes left to play, the visitors opted to go for a drop goal to put them ahead and this was duly dispatched between the sticks and the lead was theirs at 16 – 17.

 

With only a minute left on the clock, the WARRIORS produced the move of the match with the ball going through many pairs of hands before a fine turn of pace by NATHAN ROIBINSON resulted in a marvellous try in the corner. Although the kick was unsuccessful, the referee immediately blew the final whistle and it was game over.

 

This ended another thriller at Warrior Park however, Mick Baxter (Coach) must be wondering if the lads will ever complete a set of six and why we keep kicking so early in the tackle count.

 

 

Full Time   HUNSLET WARRIORS  20 v  17  SLAWIT SARACENS

 

 

Yours in Sport

 

Keith Mather

Hunslet Warriors v East Leeds

National Conference League – Interim Season – Group D.

 

East Leeds came to Warrior Park with high hopes of repeating their earlier victory over the Warriors. However it was the home side who prevailed and look likely to finish champions of Group D and progress to the quarter final play offs of the NCL interim season.

Initial play was end to end but on ten minutes full back Gary McClelland, put through after smart work from hooker Amraz Hamid and prop Johnny Dawson, scored and converted.

Warriors continued to press as forward Liam Gale took some holding with a series of punishing, direct runs and stand- off Richard Wheelhouse applied pressure with a number of accurate positional kicks. Captain and loose forward Caldon Bravo made the break which fed leading try scorer Mark Cunningham to outpace the visitors defence to add to the Warriors total. McClelland added the extras.

Four minutes later Wheelhouse was the first to react when seizing on a loose ball he raced for the line to score, McClelland stepping up to land the conversion. Easts were feeling the pressure and on the half hour mark conceded a penalty for holding down with McClelland taking full advantage.

The introduction of Lee Fisher seemed to give Easts momentum and this led to a touchdown in the corner from winger Jason Priestley. The visitors took heart from this and only strong defence from forward James Woods and centre Chris Hartley kept them at bay.

Half Time: Hunslet Warriors 20 – East Leeds 4

 

It was a determined East Leeds who took the game to the home side in the early stages of the second half but Warriors forward Karl Featherstone and 2^nd row Amir Benatmane were resolute in defence. Once again Bravo led by example and proved unstoppable in his charge forward before offloading to Cunningham to race over for his second try which McClelland goaled.

It wasn’t entirely one sided as East searched for a way through the Warrior line with their man of the match full back Mark Greenwood proving a threat. Warriors man of the match forward Johnny Dawson, assisted by 2^nd row Omar Medhi prevented a score by putting Easts Ryan Lillywhite into touch whilst replacement Joel Henry delighted the home crowd with a series of tackles.

However it was the Warriors who extended their lead as scrum half Jim Baker put through McClelland for his second converted try, bringing his tally for the game to an impressive 20 points.

Warriors rounded off their scoring as Dawson threw out a long ball and Luke Rayner raced for the line before Cunningham collected to cross in the corner and complete his hat trick.

Full Time:  Hunslet Warriors    36    -    East Leeds   4

Momentum maintained against Methley

 

The sun shone brightly on Warrior Park for the visit of Methley Royals

who have started the season in impressive fashion. The visitors are right up there at the top of the table so a good, hard fought contest was expected by the large crowd.

As is the norm for Hunslet at present, we were once again slow out the  blocks and it took a fine try from the Royals to kick start the home side.

The conversion was not successful and Methley led 4 – 0.

Inspired by Nathan Sefton the Warriors slowly inched their way back into the game. From a good passing move by the home side, Kieran Healy on his first start since a serious eye injury, scored a well worked try under the sticks. Sefton added the extras and Hunslet led 6 – 4.

From the kick off, a mistake by Warriors saw Methley take full advantage and score in the corner. The conversion which was unfortunately missed by the away team but they once again regained the lead 6 – 8.

The Hunslet winger, Michael French brought his grandfather with him to watch the match and this seemed to inspire him to arguably his best game of the season. From a set move by the Warriors, the flying winger scored by the corner flag and Hunslet led 10 – 8.

As the first half drew to a close, the home crowd were on their feet to salute another try by the fit again Healy, who showed a desire to make up for lost time through injury. Sefton added the extras and the ref blew his whistle for the end of the first period.

 

Half Time   Hunslet Warriors    16     8    Methley Royals

 

From the restart the home side continued to dominate and through the sides most consistent performer this season, Jack Teanby, scored a further converted try to extend their advantage to 22 – 8.

There was a period of some ten minutes after the try where Hunslet and Man of the Match, Nathan Sefton in particular, took control of the game.

Due to a number of different injuries this year, it was great to see Nathan run the game for the Warriors. So it came as no surprise to anyone when the player himself scored a fine individual try and added the extras.

Full credit to Methley who threw the kitchen sink at the home side in the last ten minutes of the match to record two tries and a converted goal to their points tally.

 

Full Time   Hunslet Warriors   28     18     Methley Royals