Round Eight of the Betfred Championship, the Easter round, took place over Friday, Saturday and Sunday with four games on Friday, two on Saturday and the Cumbrian derby between Whitehaven and Workington scheduled to take place on Sunday evening. Friday’s games saw Leigh at Widnes, Featherstone against Barrow, the heavy woollen derby between Batley and Dewsbury and Halifax away at the Bradford Bulls.

The two games on Sunday were with staggered kick-offs with Sheffield hosting London and York facing Newcastle.

The early Friday kick-off turned out to be a walkover for the Leigh Centurions as they made the short journey to Widnes to take on the Vikings. An early try from Hignano was added to by one from Chamberlain for a 12-0 Centurions half time lead. Macdonald added a third on forty-eight for 18-0 before Widnes scored their only try of the game when Lawton scored a try which was converted by Tyrer. In the nine minutes following the hour Leigh scored through Asiata, Inu and Mellor to complete their impressive 36-6 victory.

Barrow Raiders travelled to Featherstone full of hope but were battered by Brian McDermott´s side who are firm favourites to make Super League for 2023. There is a full match report here. 

Batley and Dewsbury play their rugby just two miles apart but there was a bigger gulf between the two sides as the Bulldogs won the heavy woollen derby by 36-20. Blackmore had given the Rams the lead before a sixteen-minute brace from Buchanan put them 12-8 ahead. A try from Carr just before the interval saw the visitors take a 14-12 lead into the sheds. Carr added a second just after the restart for 20-12 but then the points dried up for the Rams as Batley took control. Johnson, Walshaw and Ward all went over in a devastating seven-minute spell for a 30-20 lead and a Campbell try with ten minutes left on the clock completed the scoring.

It was an incredible performance from the Halifax Panthers to record a last gasp 20-17 win over the Bradford Bulls after they were forced to play seventy-nine minutes with twelve men after Fairbank was sent off in the opening minute. Halifax had scored the first try through Moore after the sides had exchanged early penalties for a 2-2 score line, but Scott went in for the Bulls on the half hour and a Lilley drop goal on the half time hooter saw the home side take a 9-8 lead into the break. A Crossley converted try and a Patton penalty goal stretched the Bulls into a 17-8 lead before McComb grabbed a lifeline for Halifax with fifteen remaining. When Jouffret went in on seventy-five he snatched an 18-17 lead for the Panthers before Keyes fourth goal of the afternoon sealed the win.

On Sunday afternoon it was a Thackeray and Farrell show as the Sheffield Eagles scored a comprehensive win over the London Broncos. The Sheffield scrum half had opened the scoring, but a Chisolm try meant that the Broncos trailed by 6-4 at the interval. Thackeray added four more tries, five on the day, between the fifty-third and seventy-sixth minutes including a ten-minute hat-trick to take the game beyond the Broncos at 30-6 before a late consolation from Macani put the visitors into double figures as they went down by 10-30.

York City Knights took an early lead in the game with Newcastle Thunder when Thompson went in on fourteen and it was all too easy as Dixon and Glover added two more before the half hour mark. Towse added another before the interval for a 22-0 half time lead. Magongo scored a York try six minutes after the break before Towse added a second on fifty-one for 34-0 before Gallagher finally managed to cross for Newcastle and avoid the nilling. A brown try ten from the final whistle concluded the scoring for a final score of 38-6.

We will bring you a full match report soon after the final hooter tomorrow evening from the Cumbrian derby.