FOLLOWING a five-week break, Huddersfield Dragons men’s fifth team felt like they were starting the season all over again.

But this time they ‘began’ it in positive fashion by slamming five goals past Bingley Bees first team in a 5-0 hammering, and that was despite the Bradford Grammar school side having their star centre forward available, who was on leave from serving in Afghanistan.

The first half was hard fought with both sides having their chances, and it was due to the efforts of Mike Greenberry that Dragons opened their account when he got in behind the Bees’ defence and crossed for Conrad Dales to net from a fair way out.

Greenberry then hit the post himself as Huddersfield ended the half with a slim 1-0 lead.

With the outcome still in the balance Dragons pressed ahead from the re-start and extended their lead with a powerful short corner flick from Martin Laithwaite.

Huddersfield continued to threaten through the excellent Greenberry, and he made the game safe with a superb individual third goal, before a pinpoint pass from Andy Swindells enable top-scorer Dales to notch his second.

Fittingly, it was Greenberry who had the last word when he smashed in a powerful shot which the Bingley keeper could only parry into his own net.

Although 5-0 sounded more one-side than perhaps it was, Huddersfield nevertheless defended particularly well to keep the Bees at bay, which they will aim to emulate when they tackle their own fourth team next week.

Team: Canham, Ridings, Kullar, Wood, Donovan, Turner, Pogson, Flavin, Maddocks, Greenberry, Dales, Swindells, Laithwaite.

Dragons Ladies III 2 Horsforth 4

THIS was a scoreline which did not reflect the skill and determination that Dragons showed in their first game back after the Christmas break.

Dragons took the lead against the top of the table side when Lisa Lawton deflected in a shot from Sarah Walters as the game went from end to end with Huddersfield’s defence working hard, keeper Nicola Todd making some superb saves.

But eventually Horsforth broke clear and with two players on keeper Todd, she was unable to prevent them drawing level.

Undeterred, Dragons drove forward and Walters put her side ahead again after Gail Hamer sent in a perfect ball for Walters to reverse stick flick into the goal for a 2-1 half-time lead.

Unfortunately they struggled after the break, largely due to a lack of substitutes and an injury to Lawton, and Horsforth took full advantage scoring twice in quick succession to take the lead.

Dragons were flagging, but kept on fighting and both Walters and Lawton went close to levelling before Horsforth added to their tally to put the game out of reach.

Captain Bailey took a shot to the head in the closing stages, which just about summed up the visitors’ day, although there were plenty positives to take away from the game.

Team: Todd, McCallum, Roberts, Hamer, Proud, Mallinson, Bailey, Bates, Walters, Dunne, Lawton.