MATCH REPORT | PANTHERS MAUL TOWN FOR SECOND WIN

Halifax Panthers returned to winning ways in the Cumbrian sunshine with a dominant 42-6 defeat of Workington Town at Derwent Park. The rearranged Round 4 fixture saw Fax run in 7 tries from 7 different scorers on the day.

Wearing the new away strip for the first time, the Panthers released their frustrations of the last few weeks by blowing away Workington, the game realistically over as a contest when the half time hooter sounded with a 24-0 lead on the board.

As early as the 4th minute, Fax set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. Brandon Moore and the returning Louis Jouffret combining to send Ben Kavanagh strolling through to score on the ground where has made plenty of international appearances for Scotland. Joe Keyes kicked the first of his 7 conversions on a perfect day with the boot.

5 minutes later, Keyes would yet again be converting a Panthers score, this time after having more than a helping hand in the construction of the try. His well timed ball at the line put Joe Arundel through a gap before the supporting Jacob Fairbank was stopped just short. With Town defenders still retreating, Keyes worked his way back across the field before finding the onrushing Kevin Larroyer to storm over the line untouched. 12-0

The Panthers were in the groove and nearly extended their lead a couple of minutes later. Jouffret showing good pace to break their the defensive line before kicking through for James Woodburn-Hall, who looked for all money to score but an unusual bounce would deny the Jamaican international. However, it was an unusual bounce of the ball which resulted in our next try. Dan Murray the lucky recipient as the Cumbrians failed to deal with a last tackle grubber by Keyes. The ball popping up perfectly into the hands of the Fax prop to score underneath the posts. An easy Keyes conversion taking the lead to 18 in as many minutes.

The hosts battled away through the mid-point of the first half but the fitness and power of the Panthers started to tell. A rampaging run from Elliot Morris, back in the side and freshly on from the bench, laying the perfect platform for Moore to put Ed Barber over from short range on the crash ball. Keyes added the extras to make it 24-0 at half time.

Workington came out with a bit of a response at the start of the second half but it was Fax who would continue the scoring. Adam Tangata going through off a neat inside ball from Jouffret to touch down to the right on the sticks. Conversion would make it 30-0.

Then came the score of the game. After shielding dead a Jamie Doran grubber on the last, James Saltonstall took a quick 20 metre tap restart and fed Louis Jouffret. The Frenchman finding Zack McComb who dummied and stepped his way through to race away. Jouffret backing up on the inside before finally finding Ben Tibbs to race away for a four pointer in his first League appearance of 2022. Keyes adding the extras from the touchline and it was all but game over. 36-0

Half back Keyes would then crown a man of the match perform with a nice show and go, as he showed good pace to slice through to score in the left corner. His 7th goal in as many attempts making it the perfect afternoon for the Irish international.

Town would get on the scoresheet eventually as Alex Clegg touched down from a Carl Forber grubber in the 67th minute and that’s the way it would stay until the final hooter. A much deserved and much needed win for the Panthers in a thoroughly professional display of rugby league from the men from The Shay

WORKINGTON TOWN
Broadbent, Young, Clegg, Olstrom, Teare, Doran, Forber, Thomson, Simons, Clarke, Singleton, Fitzsimmons, O’Brien
Subs: Henson, Brown, Bickerdike, Hutchings

Tries: Clegg (68)
Goals: Doran 1/1

HALIFAX PANTHERS
Woodburn-Hall, Tibbs, Arundel, McComb, Saltonstall, Keyes, Jouffret, Larroyer, Moore, Murray, Kavanagh, Barber, Fairbank
Subs: Wood, Gwaze, Tangata, Morris

Tries: Kavanagh (4), Larroyer (9), Murray (18), Barber (29), Tangata (48), Tibbs (56), Keyes (59)
Goals: Keyes 7/7

#PanthersAreInTown #ChooseFax #MoreThanAGame

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