Rams pegged back by Bulldogs to share spoils in Boxing Day friendly.
After what seemed like an eternity following the Betfred League One title victory in August, the Rams were finally back in action at FLAIR Stadium for the annual Boxing Day friendly against Batley Bulldogs.
The game started very slowly with the Rams under pressure after giving away several early penalties but managed to keep the Bulldogs at bay, a last-ditch tackle by Paul Sykes being a notable highlight. As expected it was a full-blooded affair with neither side treating it as a ‘friendly’ in what were boggy conditions.
The side looked to be going in at the break level, that was until Ronan Dixon smashed his way over from close range, with Paul Sykes adding the extras, to give the Rams a six-point advantage at the break.
At the restart, Louis Collinson then doubled the Rams’ lead six minutes in to the second half after he smashed through the Bulldogs defence with a strong run.
With less than twenty minutes remaining, the Bulldogs got themselves back into the game after Joe Burton collected a clever chip over the top to score underneath the posts. Ten minutes later Batley drew level after Luke Cooper burst through the Rams defence to score after the Rams had conceded two penalties earlier in the set.
Both sides looked to try and find a way to get the winning score but neither was either to break through as the final hooter sounded on another Boxing Day friendly.
After the game Rams Assistant Coach Jaymes Chapman said, “You can’t fault the effort from the lads today, we spent the majority of the time defending but the lads stuck in and defended well.”
Our next game sees us travel to the Millennium Stadium on Sunday 14th January to face Featherstone Rovers in a pre-season friendly, kick off at 15:00.
Dewsbury Rams (12): Restall, Corion, O’Connor, Greensmith, Whiteley, Sykes, Turner, Beckett, Davies, R.Dixon, Graham, Summers, Dawson.
Interchanges: Collinson, Carr, M.Walker, Russell, Field, D.Dixon, J.Walker.
Tries: R.Dixon (40’), Collinson (47’)
Conversions: Sykes (1/1), Turner (1/1)
Batley Bulldogs (12): Butterworth, Morton, Senior, Burton, Kear, White, D.Gibbons, Gledhill, Leak, Cooper, Manning, Buchanan, Blake.
Interchanges: Burton, Ward, J.Gibbons, Johnson, Chitakunye, Rhodes.
Tries: Burton (63’), Cooper (73’)
Conversions: D.Gibbons (2/2)
