By Patrick Moore

Huddersfield RU stormed further ahead at the top of National Three North with another bonus-point victory as they ran out 49-7 winners against Firwood Waterloo.

Gareth Lewis’s side scored seven converted tries to the home side’s one and were untroubled in their 18th consecutive league win of the season.

The Field were without leading tryscorer Elliot Hodgson, who missed out with an ankle injury, which meant Elliot Knight was brought in on the wing as Brandon Conway covered Hodgson’s inside centre position.

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But yet again the Field proved to be fitter, stronger and much more clinical than their opponents in a comfortable 80 for the leaders.

Lewis reflected: “I thought we played well in the first half. We came out and scored two early tries and imposed ourselves, which is what we came out to do.

“I felt that we were great until half time and lost a little structure heading into the second half.

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“We made life difficult for ourselves and we’re a little bit disappointed in the way we conceded the try the way we did.

“However, to keep them to just seven points is another brilliant defensive effort, so we just faltered a bit in our structure.

“We said at half time about not conceding a try, so that’s why we’re disappointed a little. But when you look at the bigger picture, it’s another very good effort.”

Huddersfield began in blistering mood and after an early penalty, Chris Bell aimed for touch to set Huddersfield in a good line-out position.

Nick Rhodes did well to win the second attempt and after a driving maul on the right side of the posts, Nick Sharpe went over for the first score of the day. Bell added with ease (0-7).

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And it was a case of deja vu for the second, as Bell kicked for touch again, Rhodes won the line-out and a powerful maul led to another converted try, this time Joel Hinchliffe’s smart dummy giving the scrum half a route to the try line. Bell kicked the two for 0-14.

Firwood Waterloo deserve credit for responding well to conceding two tries in the first 10 minutes and Liam Reeve linked up well with winger John Cunningham in their first chance of the game, but a solid tackle from Harvey Keighley-Payne, who made a solid impression on his first league match for Huddersfield, stopped Firwood’s backs in their tracks.

Huddersfield returned with a good spell of the ball and after a scrum on the 5m line, repeated fouls from the Firwood Waterloo defence meant the Field were awarded a penalty try which Bell added (0-21).

A knock on from Firwood Waterloo after a good break down the left led to a turn-over possession.

Tom Owen, as he has all season, made a good carry before the ball was worked out and lovely hands from Bell, who exchanged passes with Conway, enabled the fly-half to go under the sticks in a brilliantly-worked try to seal the bonus point (0-28).

After scoring his third try of the season, Bell was the conductor in another well-orchestrated move where his inch-perfect timed pass fed through Elliot Knight to score on the half time whistle. Bell again found the posts with his conversion (0-35).

With the reverse fixture in memory where Huddersfield ran out 85-14 winners at Lockwood Park, a similar scoreline didn’t seem too far-fetched at the break. However, and perhaps understandably after wrapping up the bonus point win, the Field looked a little off tempo after the restart.

Firwood Waterloo were well organised and created some chances against a Huddersfield side who usually don’t concede after the 40th minute.

The Liverpool side got themselves on the scoreboard though through Liam Reeve, who escaped the Huddersfield pack and Jake Allen converted well (7-35).

The biggest concern in the aftermath of the try, though, was when Conway stayed down after trying a last-ditch tackle. After minutes of treatment, the inside centre had to be carried off on a stretcher, and Ben Hoyle replaced him.

Keighley-Payne was the next to be forced off after a knock and Austen Thompson was called upon to cover at inside flanker.

The home side then did well after they held Huddersfield up on the try-line when a try looked imminent.

And it looked as if Huddersfield would be left scoreless in the second half, but when Firwood received a sin bin Lewis’s side took full advantage of the extra man and Lewis Workman surged over. Bell added the extras (7-42).

Another knock on from Firwood Waterloo sent Huddersfield on their next attack and Owen got a deserved try after neat play in the middle, and he went down the left of the posts. Bell kept another impressive 100% kicking record intact with another superb conversion (7-49).