CORAL CHALLENGE CUP SECOND ROUND THORNHILL TROJANS 58 NORMANTON KNIGHTS 14
This scoreline will have sent tremors throughout the world of amateur rugby league – no surprise that Thornhill won but the margin of victory was mightily impressive.
Those responsible for plucking the balls from the bag have hardly given the Trojans an easy ride bearing in mind this victory followed a first round triumph over National Conference League high fliers Thatto Heath.
Normanton do not give anybody an easy ride – their ground is not called The Graveyard for nothing! Sadly the Knights winger Charlie Barker suffered a serious leg injury in the opening minute of the tie which resulted in a 50 minutes delay whilst an ambulance was summoned to Overthorpe Park. When the game restarted the Trojans raced into an early 16 – nil lead, Normanton settled into the contest but Thornhill led 28 – 14 at half time.
The second half saw the Trojans really bring sparkle to the winter afternoon by scoring 30 unanswered points.Declan Kaye raced in for a hat trick of tries whilst ex Dewsbury Ram Luke Haigh scored a brace. Tom Gledhill, Will Gledhill & Ross Roebuck also crossed the whitewash. Casey Johnson was a veritable points machine scoring two tries & kicking 9 goals.
CORAL CHALLENGE CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW.THORNHILL TROJANS V DONCASTER SATURDAY
On the 8th February 2pm at the Tetleys Stadium – Dewsbury.
It maybe that the Trojans fancied being drawn against a fellow amateur club to give them the best chance of further progress but the character & culture that Thornhill possess means that they will be relishing the prospect of taking on the League One Dons.
Incredibly the Trojans will be up against an all international half back pairing in Rangi Chase & Watson Boas !The innovative skills that Chase possesses are well known to all fans of our game whilst Boas is the man who ripped Great Britain to shreds in the test match against Papua New Guinea last autumn.
Whilst many Super League fans flooded the letters pages of rugby league newspapers incredulous that a man operating in the third tier of the British game could outshine household names the main question now is how will the Overthorpe heroes deal with such an illustrious pairing !As noted above the tie will be staged at the Tetleys Stadium home of the Rams.I recall being at our owl lane home a few years ago when Thornhill produced a stunning display to put Workington Town out of the cup.
Doncaster are coached by ex Challenge Cup winner Richard Horne & have a physically imposing pack in addition to the aforementioned half backs but this is Thornhill we are talking about!
PENNINE LEAGUE
Last Saturday saw Mirfield Stags go to the forbidding venue of Sharlston and return home having triumphed 32 – 24. Hanging Heaton had a less satisfying afternoon being beaten 40 – 10 on home soil by Drighlington. In Division two there was no joy for Thornhill – possibly distracted by the Challenge Cup tie next door they were comprehensively beaten 48 – nil by Fryston Warriors.
This coming Saturday 1st February sees Mirfield at home to Illingworth in Division one whilst there is a Division two derby at Leeds road as Shaw Cross meet Thornhill.
This article was written by Rams fan David Hyomes.