» March 18th 2001
» Town 60:10 Hunslet Hawks

Both sides showed their respects to the passing of Club stalwart Dick Viney by observing a minute's silence before the start of this match.

After losing their last match to Keighley, Town were keen to return to winning ways. Town were to make the best of starts by scoring in the opening minutes of the match.

Town had the kick-off and launched the kick deep into the Hunslet half. Good tackling kept the visitors inside their own half and the kick from the defending side was collected with ease. With the ball in hand Town were in a creative mood and the combination of Matt Sturm and Tane Manihera would create the opening score. Tane Manihera had the ball and passed to Matt Sturm who played the reverse pass to release Tane Manihera who sped into the gap and passed to the supporting Graeme Lewthwaite who strode on towards the line to score. Tane Manihera missed the conversion attempt to make the score 4 - 0 in Town's favour.

Good handling from Town saw them again inside their opponents half. Tane Manihera was creating the gaps, but the kick through from Craig Rumney went dead.

The defensive effort from Town kept Hunslet pinned in their own half and a clearing kick on the last tackle from the defending side went out on the full. Town had the turnover of possession deep inside the Hunslet half. Town used the ball well and 4 good drives saw them well in control. On the fifth tackle the ball was passed out to Neil Frazer who bounced through three tacklers to score. Tane Manihera added the conversion to extend the Town lead to 10 - 0.

On 9 minutes Town were to extend this lead further. Good passing between the Town players saw Anthony Samuel release Neil Frazer who ran into the gap and drew in the defence and a well timed pass gave Fata Sini an easy run to the line. Tane Manihera was successful with the conversion and Town now led 16 - 0.

The possession Town were now enjoying was going to be used to great effect. On 11 minutes Town had the ball and on the last tackle the expansive game that Town play came into effect. The ball was passed wide to Neil Frazer who collected the ball and again drew the defence and passed inside to the supporting Anthony Samuel who went in to score under the posts. Tane Manihera successfully converting the kick to make the Town lead 22 - 0.

The lead was further extended on 15 minutes. The last tackle saw Town on the half way line and they again elected to run the ball at the Hawks. Good interchanges between Craig Rumney and Tane Manihera saw Graeme Lewthwaite collect the ball and speed down the line to collect his second score of the day. Tane Manihera missed the conversion to make the score 26 - 0 in favour of Town.

Interference from the Hawks at the play of the ball after 18 minute gave Town the advantage inside the Hunslet half. A good set of 5 tackles saw Town again close to the try line. On the last Town again elected to run the ball and Owen Williamson went towards the line. He was tackled and somehow managed to get the ball out to Anthony Samuel who threw the ball out to Fata Sini who had to just walk in to score. Tane Manihera kicked the conversion to make the Town lead 32 - 0.

The next exchanges saw Town still enjoying the possession, but failing to add to the score. After 30 minutes Town found themselves defending deep in their own half. Hunslet had been awarded a penalty for a high tackle. Hunslet drove the ball at the Town line and on the second tackle they were unlucky not to score after the attacking player was held up over the line.

Hunslet had the scrum on Town's twenty-metre line, but spilled the possession on the second tackle. The game plan from both sides was now to play out their sets of six and kick through for the advantage and hope to force the mistake.

The 33 minute saw Tane Manihera collect the ball and create the gap, Tane sped through the defence and passed out to Graeme Lewthwaite who was tackled. Town were awarded a penalty for interference in the tackle. Town were deep in the Hunslet half and played out the tackle count. On the last tackle Owen Williamson went for the line and lost the ball in the resulting tackle.

Hunslet had their best opportunity to score on 34 minutes. Town were well inside their own half and William Blackburn ran at the Hawks defence, not realising he had been judged by the referee to have been tackled, he continued his run and was punished by the awarding of a penalty against him for not playing the ball. The Hawks had the possession on the Town 20 metre line and a wide pass was thrown out, but the winger was unable to hold the ball with the line wide open for him.

Hunslet defended well and on 38 minutes Hunslet had the scrum on their own 20 metre line. From the scrum they launched a kick deep into the Town half. Fata Sini was first to react and chased back to shield the ball as it ran dead in goal.

On 39 minutes Town further extended their lead. Town were awarded a penalty for interference at the play of the ball. From the second tackle Lokeni Savelio ran at the line and burst through two tacklers to score. Tane Manihera added the conversion to make the halftime lead 38 - 0 to Town.

The second half again saw Town enjoy the greater possession, but handling errors after great work from all the players failed to change the score.

Jamie Beaumont was to change this on 49 minutes. Town had possession on half way and Craig Rumney passed to Jamie Beaumont who burst the tackle and ran the diagonal and finally score in the corner. Tane Manihera added a good conversion kick to extend the Town lead to 44 - 0.

Good work from Town was to further extend the lead on 53 minutes. Town had possession and ran at the Hunslet defence. Tane Manihera passed to Hitro Okesene who passed out of the tackle to Leigh Smith who ran inside the defence and threw out a high ball from the tackle. The ball was collected one handed by Matt Sturm who bounced off the attempted tackle and ran in unopposed under the posts. Tane Manihera easily adding the conversion to make the score 50 - 0 in favour of Town.

Town were again enjoying the possession and had two scrums in quick succession inside the Hunslet half. Okesene had the ball and ran at the defence and was flattened by an outrageous high tackle. From the penalty Town again ran at the defensive line, Graeme Lewthwaite had come into the middle of the field looking for the ball and collected the pass and spun out of the tackle to score his third try of the day and his 100th try as a professional. Tane Manihera again adding the conversion to further extend the Town lead to 56 - 0.

Hunslet scored after 65 minutes to prevent Town from recording a clean sheet. Good work from the Hunslet forwards saw them in the Town 20 and the kick through bounced off a Town leg and the referee wiped out the tackle count. From this possession Mick Coyle collected the ball and strode through the weak tackles to score. Craig Robinson added the conversion to make the score 56 - 6.

On 71 minutes Town were to extend their lead. William Blackburn collected the ball and made a great burst through the covering tackle. He ran for the corner and pushed off the fullback's attempted tackle and went in at the corner. Tane Manihera missed the conversion to leave the Town lead at 60 - 6.

The last 8 minutes saw Town under pressure. With the game in the bag, Town seemed to rest on their laurels. Handling errors and penalty decisions saw the Hawks camped in the Town half and on 76 minutes Hunslet spun the ball wide and the winger Lee Maher collected the pass and went in at the corner. The conversion attempt from Craig Robinson went wide to make the score 60 - 10 to Town.

Hunslet had another chance to score two minutes later. The Hawks hooker broke through the tackle and ran at the line. Jamie Smith delayed him enough to allow Matt Sturm to make the try saving tackle. Matt Sturm was adjudged to have held the player in the tackle and was sent to the sin bin. Town defended the line and prevented any further scores.

Town won this match by a convincing score line, but mistakes allowed the visitors to score when really a clean sheet should have been the ultimate goal. The Town defence could have been better and in attack they should have really punished the visitors to further improve the points for difference in the league.

Official Man of the Match sponsored by Richard Atkinson (Milburns Solicitors) - Graeme Lewthwaite.

Tries: Graeme Lewthwaite 3, Fata Sini 2, Neil Frazer, Anthony Samuel, Lokeni Savelio, Jamie Beaumont, Matt Sturm and William Blackburn.

Goals: Tane Manihera 8

Town: Jamie Smith, Fata Sini, Neil Frazer, Leigh Smith, Graeme Lewthwaite, Tane Manihera, Craig Rumney, Hitro Okesene, Owen Williamson, Lokeni Savelio, Jamie Beaumont, Matt Sturm, Anthony Samuel.

Subs: William Blackburn, Matthew Tunstall, Kevin Hetherington, and John Allen

Referee: Mr J. King