By Richard Sykes
Tom Haywood and Lewis Workman scored tries for Huddersfield RUFC at the beginning and end of the first half in their National 2 North away game at Billingham – but the hosts scored four in between them.
Ed Barber converted both for Huddersfield but Ryan Foreman was off the mark with all but one for Billingham who held a 22-14 lead at the break.
In the second half, Finlay Stewart scored two tries for Field to secure the try bonus and Barber added a third, but Billingham bettered their first half tally.
They scored five more tries, with forwards Daniel Dixon and Daniel Burns both doubling the first half contribution to make it 53-29 at the finish.
In a high-scoring, if not spectacular game, made difficult by a strong biting wind, there was no shortage of effort from either side as each battled hard for supremacy.
Haywood opened the scoring just four minutes into the game, peeling off the maul from a lineout after a bright start, but with Foreman at fly-half dictating the midfield Billingham produced a good response.
Their four first-half tries came in the space of 13 minutes. Props Dixon and Kieran Clarke got the first two with Burns notching the third and centre Matthew Kirby getting the last of them after some lively back play.
Field finished the half strongly, working the ball through the phases and forcing penalties which drew yellows for Burns and Billingham lock Ryan Kirkbride. Workman’s try came five minutes before the break, the full-back bursting through between the posts after some determined try-line defence by Billingham.
Archie Stancliffe made an impressive first team debut on the wing for Field and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as the half drew to a close.
The 18-year-old Academy product ran at pace to take a pass to the right flank, but the ball bounced frustratingly off his chest with the whitewash beckoning.
Billingham increased their lead by 12 points in the third quarter with a try by Peter Youll, and a second try and conversion from Dixon and Evans.
Stewart struck back for Field with his first try, the wingman showing his pace to race in on 58 minutes. Two minutes later, Field flanker Francis Entressengle became the third player to be sent to the bin following a technical infringement.
Dixon and Evans countered with two more tries in the space of two minutes for Billingham after which Stewart notched his second.
Just 10 minutes after scoring his first and running a supporting line, he latched on to a pass after a crossfield kick had wrong-footed the Billingham defence. Barber rounded off Field’s scoring with a try from a powerful break in the centre.
Burns’ second try and Evans’ fourth conversion took the home side’s total over the 50-point mark with time almost up.
Huddersfield are next in action on April 6 when they play their final home game against Otley, with kick-off at 3pm.
Huddersfield: Workman; Stancliffe; Hawkyard; Summers; Stewart F; Barber; Harrison; Thompson; Haywood; Rollins; Barnard; Pearson; Davis; Estressengle; Quinn. Replacements: Dawson; Neilly; Walker; Phayer; Whitfield.
Image by: RAY MORRIS
