Rams narrowly lose out to Eagles in close encounter at the Olympic Legacy Park.
Our final game of a disappointing season took us to South Yorkshire and the Olympic Legacy Park to face the Sheffield Eagles who the Rams were looking to do the double after a narrow two-point victory back in February.
The Rams started the game very slowly, knocking on immediately at the end of the Eagles first set and the early pressure told when Ryan Johnson went over in the corner for the early score to give the Eagles a four-point lead.
Dewsbury responded well to going behind and scored two tries almost back-to-back, that gave them an eight-point lead. Firstly, Dale Ferguson smashed his way through to score from close range which was shortly followed by Jordan Schofield who squeezed over from close.
Although in front by eight after twenty-three minutes the Eagles went into the break ahead by four when Kris Welham scored, followed by an Evan Hodgson try after Brandon Douglas had made the break.
The Rams fell further behind after the break when Kris Welham went over for his second of the evening followed by ex-Ram Joel Farrell scoring after making a break through the defence. The Rams were not going to lie down though and the sixteen men dug in and pulled one back through Michael Knowles who scored on his 25th appearance this season.
Sheffield then put themselves under more pressure when they had two men sent to the sin-bin with only ten minutes remaing. Brandon Douglas was first to the bin for dissent and shortly after Joel Farrell joined him for a high shot.
The Rams took full advantage and brought themselves to within four when Robson Stevens went over and with only a couple of minutes looked to get the try that would bring the game level.
Despite their best efforts late on spraying the ball around in an attempt to make a late break the Rams couldn’t get the score they needed and in and amongst the loose passes, ex-Ram Bayley Liu went over to seal the victory for the home side as the hooter sounded.
After the game Rams Head Coach Liam Finn said, “A massive effort especially after the game was postponed, a lot of the lads had plans which is understandable, but all sixteen of them to a man put a shift in, there was no complaints at training, no complaints about the game their effort and attitude was first class.”
Sheffield Eagles (34): Jones-Bishop, Shelis, Welham, Oakes, Johnson, Holmes, Bower, Douglas, Halafihi, Broadbent, Wood, Farrell, Hodgson.
Interchanges: Kirk, Chrimes, Liu, Williams.
Tries: Johnson (4’), Welham (25’, 46’), Hodgson (33’), Farrell (51’), Liu (80’)
Conversions: Holmes (5/6)
Yellow Card: Douglas (70’), Farrell (74’)
Dewsbury Rams (24): McGowan, Ryder, Tomlinson, Graham, Greensmith, Sweeting, Turner, Schofield, Butterworth, Ferguson, Davies, Knowles, Stevens.
Interchanges: Walker, Kirby, Blagbrough.
Tries: Ferguson (19’), Schofield (22’), Knowles (62’), Stevens (76’)
Conversions: Turner (4/4)
Attendance: 604
