NEW Aussie capture Chris Thorley chipped in with 10 debut points as Underbank Rangers kicked off their Co-operative Rugby League Conference national campaign with a 26-24 home win over Hemel Stags.
The visitors twice held the lead, and the Huddersfield side had to soak up a late burst of pressure from the Southerners to ensure Richard Flooks’ 67th-minute try and Thorley’s conversion proved decisive.
Full-back Thorley finished with three goals and a 35th-minute try, with Underbank’s other touchdowns coming from wingers Will Midgley and Nick Bellas and stand-off Simon Burkinshaw.
Sunday’s victory was a boost for head coach Richard Knight, who was in the York side beaten 56-10 at Warrington in the fourth round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup on Saturday.
Knight’s assistant coach Ritchie Hawkyard also tasted Challenge Cup disappointment, with Swinton beaten 28-22 at home to Rochdale on Friday.
The early stages of the clash at The Cross suggested the pair might be in for another defeat.
Hemel, with Jared Searson stretching the home defence, started strongly and the centre finally went over after 10 minutes, with experienced full-back BJ Swindells converting from wide out.
Bank hit back on 19 minutes with a move initiated by Darren Hawkyard. From the play-the-ball following his break, Burkinshaw found Midgley in plenty of space, and Thorley added the extras.
Burkinshaw then became the villain, giving away back-to-back penalties which allowed Hemel to build the pressure which brought a 24th-minute try for Swindells.
Within two minutes, the visitors were 16-6 ahead after scrum-half Brendan Williams’ try and Swindells’ conversion.
Bank faced a test of character, and came up trumps with two tries before the break.
Bellas went over on the half hour after a Burkinshaw break, then Thorley burrowed his way over from a quick tap penalty.
Neither try was converted, and Thorley sliced a penalty early in the second half.
But Bank were not to be denied, and went 20-16 ahead when Burkinshaw linked up with Darren Hawkyard and Carl Leach before stretching over the line for Thorley to convert.
Hemel were in no mood to roll over, however, and after Swindells landed a penalty, his improvement of loose-forward Michael Crosby’s 59th-minute try meant the home side were trailing 24-20.
Flooks’ mazy 70m run and touchdown from Darren Hawkyard’s clever pass and Thorley’s conversion restored Banks’ lead and set up a tense finale, with props Leach and Dave Valentine working hard to lead the shut-out.
