Thunder pay huge penalty late on

NEWCASTLE Thunder were made to work hard by an industrious Dewsbury Rams on Saturday afternoon, as the Betfred Championship spoils were shared in a 24-24 draw at Kingston Park.

Thunder looked to have secured a third home win in a row five minutes from time when Gideon Boafo pounced on a defensive error to give Newcastle a two-point lead.

However, a penalty conceded by the home side well within kicking range with just three minutes to go allowed the visitors to level the scores.

Thunder were a converted try in arrears six minutes in as the Rams found a gap in the defensive line which they flooded with numbers.

Creating a two-on-one against Craig Mullen, Thunder’s fullback made his tackle but the support of Paul Sykes allowed the Rams in for their opening score.

A potent set of off-loads close to the line saw the visitors double their lead through winger Lewis Carr but, finding some cohesion in their play, Thunder cut the gap with almost a quarter played through Ollie Roberts.

The half exploded into action in the closing stages.

Picking off a loose ball on his own try-line, Gideon Boafo raced clear of the Rams’ line ahead of him for a superb individual score – but it would prove to be a short-lived narrowing of the gap as Reiss Butterworth hit back with the last play of the half.

Dewsbury enjoyed the better of the start to the second half and 15 minutes in the hosts conceded a pair of penalties in quick succession to give up 70 metres of territory and lose Isaac Nokes to the sin-bin.

From the resulting restart, the tackle count was worked through before a kick to the corner allowed Keenen Tomlinson to feed Carr for his second of the game.

Thunder’s fightback began on the hour as Jack Johnson crossed in the corner.

Halsall’s thirteenth try of the season, converted by Shorrrocks, and a Boafo score cut the deficit further but a lapse of discipline allowed Sykes to level for the visitors.