By Richard Sykes
Huddersfield scored four tries in a dazzling first half display against Tynedale in Round 11 of their National 2 North campaign at Lockwood Park. The match ended 38-14 to Huddersfield, their biggest win of the season.
“We dominated the game for long periods,” said Huddersfield’s delighted head coach Gaz Lewis. “Our back three constantly returned with interest and we generated quick ball in attack. Joe Potter, at scrum-half, controlled the ball well and although we dropped off in the second half we finished the match strongly.”
The non-stop first half action began straight from the whistle. Tom Hodson, who dictated wonderfully at full-back, set winger Kian Stewart on his way with Potter in close support. Potter took the pass and cruised in for a try under the posts. Milner added the extras, starting a faultless run of five conversions with the simplest of strikes.
Tynedale were back on terms five minutes later. Scrum-half James Telford took a sniping tap and go from a midfield penalty and after a couple of phases winger Seamus Hutton went in for a try in the corner which was converted by James Blackett.
For the next half hour Field put on a scintillating show and added three more tries, including a brace by prop Callum Thompson, to secure an attacking bonus point. An excellent break by No8 Rob Jennings, ably supported by the industrious Eddie Brown, set Thompson up for the first of them.
Field had to show their mettle in defence for a spell after the score but when they broke out of it try number three followed. Hodson was the architect, taking a penalty tap before setting off on an illusive run up the right wing. When he ran out of space he grubbed through and Fin Stewart won the foot race to dot down.
On the half hour a penalty took Field to the Tynedale 22. The catch from the lineout was clean and the pack produced a magnificent, high paced, marching maul all the way to the try line.
Somehow Tynedale managed to prevent the grounding of the ball but the home side maintained their onslaught from the goal line drop out. Thompson rounded off the good spell with his second try from a catch and drive from a lineout.
The first half ended with an injury to Huddersfield hooker Liam Stapley, forcing his retirement from the game, and the score at 28-14.
The rugby highlights in the second half came at the beginning and end of it, with play in between becoming an attritional battle that got quite scrappy at times.
Tynedale doubled their score with a try three minutes in. A penalty gave the visitors territorial advantage and full-back Adam Todhunter rounded off an eye pleasing passage of play with the score which Blackett converted.
Field responded positively to the early setback. A breakaway move by Milner, Lewis Bradley and Lewis Workman put them back on the front foot but the chance of a score ended with a disappointing knock on.
Midway through the half tempers flared and three yellow cards in as many minutes disrupted the flow of the game. First to go were Field’s replacement hooker Ethan Myers and Jennings. Thirteen man Field did well to keep Tynedale at bay as they pressed hard close to the try line. Hutton’s dismissal for Tynedale evened things up and the home side managed to survive and clear their lines.
A Milner penalty on 51 minutes eased fears of a Tynedale comeback with a classy try at the death putting the icing on the home side’s cake.
With the 80 minutes almost up Fin Stewart made a superb solo break from halfway. With support runners well placed to continue the move Milner rounded things off with the try and conversion.
Huddersfield travel to Sheffield on Saturday December 10 (2.15) hoping to maintain their good form. The South Yorkshire side are just two places above them in the table and have lost their last six matches.
