By Richard Sykes
A brace from Lewis Workman was one of the few bright spots as Huddersfield RUFC slumped to a heavy 19-57 defeat against Tynedale at Lockwood Park.
Tynedale scored nine tries, including a hat-trick by fly-half Alex Leslie, who contributed over half his side’s points.
Huddersfield scored three tries but have now lost 15 out of 17 matches this season and relegation from National 2 North looks all but inevitable.
Field looked very determined with ball in hand and made by far the better start but without it their defensive vulnerability was exposed by a Tynedale team with an appetite to attack.
The visitors’ first try came in their first visit to the Field 22 from a right wing break by Joe Tully. Centre Euan Forlow doubled the lead 15 minutes later and Leslie extended it with the first of his conversions.
Shortly afterwards Field prop Harry Whitfield suffered a knee injury at a point in the game when his team was battling hard to regain a foothold. The injury brought a sad and untimely end to his 50th appearance.
Field fly-half George Collins made an outstanding individual break but with the whitewash beckoning he chose to pass rather than go it alone.
The pass was intercepted by Leslie who sprinted the full length of the pitch for the first of his tries which he successfully converted.
Workman then hit back with his first try, which went unconverted, and flanker Lewis Quinn made an excellent break with try scoring promise only to be thwarted when he lost his footing on the slippery surface.
Tully rounded off the first half scoring with his second try. It was a classy one. From a line out Tynedale produced a rolling maul and when the ball was released from the back, Leslie floated out a superb long pass to the winger who took it at pace and raced home. Leslie converted to make the half-time score 26-5 to Tynedale.
The setbacks suffered by Field before the interval seemed to set the tone for the second half. Leslie bagged his second try and fourth conversion just after the break with further tries by full-back Alex Dryden and winger Seamus Hutton coming in quick succession just before the hour mark.
Field continued to show endeavour in possession and when Tynedale were penalised at the end of an impressive passage of attacking play the kick created a scoring opportunity at a 5 metre lineout.
The catch and drive was textbook, prop Darren Neilly dotted down on the back of it and skipper Ed Barber added the extras.
Tynedale continued to exploit Field’s defensive frailties and struck again twice in the last 10 minutes to take their tally over the 50 point mark.
Hooker Ralph Johnston got a try from a well-driven close range maul after a very nifty short lineout move and Leslie completed his hat-trick after some slick passing play. Centre Ryan Scott kicked the final conversion.
Workman’s second try came from the final play in the match with Barber’s second conversion being followed immediately by the final whistle.
On Saturday February 17 Huddersfield travel to take on 6th placed Sheffield Tigers.
Huddersfield: Workman; Nash; Barber; Nicholson; Horsfall; Collins; Wilson; Thompson; Haywood; Whitfield; Barnard; Dawson; Quinn; Entressengle; Pearson. Replacements: Walker; Rollins; Thornton; Neilly; Harrison.
Image by: RAY MORRIS
