Stockport 28
Huddersfield RU 20
(National II North)
HUDDERSFIELD once again hit rock bottom in the table after crashing to defeat against relegation rivals Stockport.
Both sides scored three tries, and Huddersfield actually led 20-10 as one stage, before the home side rallied in the last quarter of the game to claim a win which once again took them above Field in the table.
Last week’s two-try hero Ben Mitchell was again on the button with an opening try for Huddersfield after just three minutes, converted by Joel Hinchliffe, and although Richard Geary struck a seventh-minute penalty for Stockport, Huddersfield extended their lead midway through the half when prop Alex Battye forced his way over the line.
Hinchliffe missed the conversion but added a 24th minute penalty for a 15-3 lead.
Back came Stockport however, and a converted try from No5 Michael Waddington kept the Cheshire side in the contest.
Centre Mike Clarke grabbed his fifth try of the season (the leading try-scorer) to once again give his side a 10-point cushion, but it only lasted a minute as Stockport fly-half Geary struck his second penalty and on the stroke of half-time No8 Dan Eccles went over for his side’s second score, to which Geary was again on the mark with his conversion, leaving the side’s locked at 20-18 in Huddersfield’s favour at the interval.
Unfortunately for Huddersfield the first half marked the end of their scoring and midway through the second period Geary put his side ahead for the first time with his third three-pointer.
Lawrence Sanderson replaced Tony Stringwell in Huddersfield’s front row, and after Geary had pushed Stockport ahead Ben Hoyle came on for George Hinchliff, while Jon Coles replaced Scott Benton at scrum half.
With a little over 10 minutes remaining player/coach Dan Hyde came on for second rower Gavin Rhodes, but there was still no further scoring chances for the visitors and Stockport centre rubbed salt in the wound on the stroke of full time when centre Sam James notched their third try, Geary again goaling to rob Huddersfield of even a losing bonus point.
Huddersfield: Owen, Mitchell, Clark, Paxman, Booth, Hinchliffe, Benton; Stringwell, Murphy, Battye, N Rhodes, G Rhodes, Hinchliffe, Lewis, Sharpe. Subs: (used): Sanderson, Coles, Hoyle, Head.
Referee: Brendan McGaffney.
