South Wales Scorpions Reserves 22- 56 Halifax Reserves
Saturday July 16, Ystrad Mynach
Halifax scored three tries in the final ten minutes of the reserve-team friendly with South Wales Scorpions to create an imbalance to the scoreline in what was a very competitive encounter.
The Championship side showed a telling class, but Scorpions never gave up throughout the contest at the Centre of Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.
The home side could have taken the lead early in the game when Shane Lee’s kick was palmed back by Lewys Willacott, but for an interception.
A defensive lapse gave Halifax the lead as Chester Butler was given too much space to run through.
Hull FC-bound Nick Rawsthorne converted.
Straight away, Halifax were in for a second try. Morgan Punchard crossed the whitewash and Rawsthorne hit his conversion.
Things got worse for the home side when Adam Ryder grabbed Halifax’s third from close range. Rawsthorne’s kick went wide.
Scorpions finally broke through on 25 minutes when Sion Jones ran through the Halifax back-line. Ben Jones converted.
Jack Mead scored in the corner for Halifax’s fourth to make it 20-6 at the break, and within seconds of coming back out, Butler sprinted over for his second of the afternoon.
Halifax reached six when Nick Rawsthorne intercepted a loose ball and ran 90 metres to score, before adding the extras himself.
Scorpions hit back from the next play, when Huw Parks made it look easy by dodging through for a try. Jones converted to bring the score back to 32-12.
The Welsh side reduced the deficit further as Zak Williams ran over for a third, but Jones was unable to land the extras.
The back-and-forth tussle continued as Punchard grabbed his second for the visitors, before both sides were reduced in number as Huw Parks and Lewis Hosty were sin-binned after a scuffle.
Scorpions recovered quickest as Sion Jones crossed, but Halifax finished on a high with two late tries.
Referee Nick Bennett called an end to proceedings with the score 22-56.
• Match report by Ian Golden of South Wales Scorpions.
LEAGUE 1 SHIELD
The Big Welsh Derby return leg between North Wales Crusaders and South Wales Scorpions opens the League 1 Shield when the fixtures kick off on Saturday July 23.
The match will be held at the home of Chester RUFC, kicking off at 2.30pm, as the Crusaders’ home ground is currently out of use.
The Scorpions’ three home matches at Caerphilly RFC will be against Newcastle Thunder on July 31, Oxford on August 21, and Hemel on September 4.
Away matches at Coventry Bears on August 6 and Gloucestershire All Golds on September 11 complete their fixtures.
Scorpions’ coach Phil Carleton said: “There will be no easy games in this split, I believe everyone is capable of beating one another on their day.”