Newsome Panthers Under 13 team retuned to action and were narrowly betaen 17-16 at Hunslet Warriors.
After five weeks for the summer break, the Under 13s faced a Warriors side sitting third in the league and were and the boys knew that it would be a tough encounter – especially with scouts from Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors watching the game!
The home side started with the wind behind them and from the outset, the Newsome team started running the ball.
Props Thomas Spiliotis and Malachy Taylor-David building the platform for the backs to put together some well rehearsed sets.
Hooker Henry Barton utilised his speed in some very quick play-the-balls to keep the hosts on the back foot and the Panthers were quick off their line closing the Leeds players down quickly.
It took 10 minutes for the Panthers to break through the solid Hunslet defence with an excellent play involving captain Joe Hughes, Billy Denton and Leighton Davis who forced his way over for the visitors first try, converted by Hughes.
The hosts tried to attack from the kick off but were met with strong tackling from left hand pair of centre Aaron Reid and winger Daniel Jessop.
A Hunslet error handed possession to Newsome who quickly combined brilliantly, passing the ball from right to left ending up with Billy Haywood proving too strong for the Hunslet defence and went over for the visitors second try, again converted by Hughes.
An error from the kick off, gifted possession to the home side inside the Panthers 20 metre line, and a well executed set of six by the hosts resulted in their first converted try to end the first half 12-6 to Newsome.
The Panthers started the second half strongly again but another error allowed the hosts to pull back another unconverted try.
Newsome continued their hard work in defence with Travis Corion and Rico White stopping attack after attack on the right hand side.
Scott Dearnley did a try saving tackle after chasing a 70 meter run by a Hunslet player. Jamie Lynch was causing Hunslet problems with every run and Ben Holmes was working hard in taking the visitors forward with every PTB.
A well worked move ended up in Billy Denton’s hands who managed to go over for Panthers’ third try of the game which Joe didn’t manage to convert.
Another error by the visitors allowed Hunslet to start their set of six in the Panthers 10 meter line which ended in another converted try to bring the score level with two minutes to go.
The hosts decided to go for a drop goal on their third tackle just as the final whistle went to find the hosts winning a very close encounter 17-16.
The Newsome coaches were happy with the overall performance of every player on the field and the hard work they all put in.
The Hunslet Warriors coaches gave the opposition man of the match award to Henry Barton, with grafter going to Leighton Davis, top tackler to Travis Corion, parents’ player to Scott Dearnley and man of the match to captain Joe Hughes.
