By Richard Sykes
Huddersfield RUFC went down to a heavy 61-9 defeat on their away trip to Darlington Mowden Park. They conceded nine tries, including a hat-trick by winger Alfie Warwick.
They fell badly behind in the first half hour but tries by Jonathan Garrity and Tom Hainsworth either side of the interval provided hope.
Park then struck twice in quick succession. Although Field replied with a try by Lewis Workman on the hour, it was the hosts that finished strongly, adding three more tries in the final quarter, to complete a bad day at the office for their visitors.
Head coach Callum Thompson said: “It was a difficult day against a strong team that moved the ball well.
“We had our moments and had chances to take a bonus point but couldn’t quite find the fourth try.”
Thompson’s matchday squad showed five changes to the one that defeated Sheffield Tigers last week. It included three of the club’s former Colts – flanker Frankie Kilroy, lock Marcus O’Connell and fly-half Thomas Scott.
Thompson said: “I was happy to see players step up and gain experience at National 2 level. Individually they all gave a good account of themselves but collectively we were second best.”
After half-an-hour Park were 28 points to the good, from four converted tries. Winger Liam Checkfield ran in the first two, following lost lineouts by Field, fly-half Junior Newton adding the extras.
Field’s early cause was not helped by injury. Full-back Tom Parkin had a hamstring problem and, having come on as his replacement after 10 minutes, Scott had to leave the pitch three minutes later, having suffered a serious gash to the face that needed hospital treatment.
Widdop was sin-binned shortly after hooker Charlie Turnbull had mauled in Park’s third and No8 Jacob Oliver ran in try four in his absence after a powerful scrum.
Field’s first came from an attacking five metre lineout. The ball went through the hands to the opposite touchline and Garrity crossed in the corner. Will Milner was off target with his kick, to leave the score 28-5 at half-time.
Six minutes into the second half, from a scrum on their 22, Kian Stewart broke clear for Field. He fed inside to Gaz Widdop who put Hainsworth in for a superb try, which Widdop converted.
A knock-on at the re-start and a re-start kick by Field, which didn’t go 10 metres, then gifted possession and two tries in two minutes to Park.
Warwick and scrum-half Ben Douglas were the scorers and Jon Royle’s conversions established a 30-point lead for Park.
Midway through the second half Workman rounded off an excellent front foot spell for Field, weaving his way through a crowded five metre channel for the dot down, which Widdop converted.
As the game drew to its conclusion three more tries, two of which Ewan Greenlaw converted, sealed the deal for Park.
Turnbull got his second and Warwick notched the other two, his hat-trick score, wrapping things up in the final minute.
Huddersfield host Tynedale on Saturday September 26, kick off 3pm.
Huddersfield: Parkin; Stewart K; Hainsworth; Widdop; Workman; Milner; Walsh; Bailey; Moore; Myers; Garrity; Johnston; Stapley; Kilroy; Connor. Replacements: Abbot; Hawden; O’Connell; Cawte-Davey; Scott.
