Round 14 of the Betfred Championship got underway on Friday Night, with convincing victories for both Newcastle and Oldham.
Thunder ran in eleven tries against Goole Vikings on home soil, including four tries from Harvey Reynolds and a hat-trick from Brad Ward.
Three tries from Luke Forber inspired the Roughyeds to victory.
These two results on Friday take the winners up to second and third in the table, and level on 20 league points – four behind league leaders London Broncos.
On a scorching Sunday, the teams went head-to-head in the blistering heat.
In Cumbria, a thriller rolled out between Whitehaven and Keighley Cougars. Ciaran Walker was the star of the show who produced all sixteen of the Haven’s points, including the last gasp penalty goal after the hooter, which secured the two points.
Close by, Barrow also came out on top in Round 14, beating Hunslet.
It was another win for London Broncos – and a big one in the sunshine. They travelled to Sheffield Eagles’ new home - the MEPS International Home of Football Stadium, and posted 72 points on their South Yorkshire opponents.
There were braces for Luke Smith, Elliot Wallis, Morea Morea and Finley Glare, as well as a hat-trick form Brandon Webster-Mansfield.
A second half comeback started by Max Flanagan sparked Rochdale’s Round 14 win over local rivals Swinton. The Hornets enjoyed derby day delight in an enthralling points fest.
Likewise, Salford sealed a win in style after fighting back against Halifax. Daniel Sarbah was the man of the hour with the match-winning score, although overall, it was an impressive and collective effort as the Reds came back from a 28-6 deficit.
Finally, both Dewsbury and Batley triumphed in their respective ties.
The Bulldogs made history on Sunday, by becoming a short list of teams to ever score 100+ points in the top two divisions, as they put North Wales Crusaders to the sword.
Meanwhile, the Rams put on a strong showing against Workington.
Betfred Championship Round 14 results:
Newcastle Thunder 62 Goole Vikings 10
Oldham RLFC 30 Midlands Hurricanes 10
Whitehaven RLFC 16 Keighley Cougars 14
Barrow Raiders 36 Hunslet RLFC 22
Sheffield Eagles 10 London Broncos 72
Rochdale Hornets 36 Swinton Lions 32
Halifax Panthers 28 Salford RLFC 32
Dewsbury Rams 32 Workington Town 6
Batley Bulldogs 110 North Wales Crusaders 10
The full fixture list for the Betfred Championship can be found here.
There is a pause in the Betfred Championship’s action, with the Betfred Challenge Cup Final taking place on Saturday (30 May).
Photo Credit: Whitehaven RLFC & David Malcolm Walker
