Gateshead Thunder 34, Halifax 28
Jun 29 2009 The Journal
GATESHEAD pulled off a stunning win over Co-operative Championship leaders Halifax who had won nine of their opening 10 league games, including a 72-28 win over Thunder at The Shay.
The tables were turned yesterday on Tyneside as Thunder stormed into an incredible 32-0 lead at half-time on the back of six unanswered tries.
Centre Dylan Nash scored a hat-trick, all set up by fellow Australian Luke Branighan, while Jamie Cording, Ben McAlpine and Branighan also crossed in the first half.
Halifax had looked anything but prospective champions but they showed their mettle after the break to run in five tries and cut the deficit to just six points.
Thunder, superb with ball in hand and in defence in the opening 40 minutes, held on to back up the impressive win at Leigh in their last outing.
Halifax’s large following in a crowd of 802 at the International Stadium were stunned at the halfway stage as second-bottom Gateshead tore their title chasing side apart.
Nash had the first points on the board after two minutes when the first piece of sloppy Fax defending saw Branighan flick a lost cause back following a high kick into the in-goal.
Branighan then put Nash over on the short side as Halifax showed little heart for the battle, and then Michael Knowles put Jamie Cording over the whitewash.
The visitors bombed what few chances came their way and continued to self-destruct with Miles Greenwood spilling a Nick Youngquest bomb to gift Branighan a try.
Quick hands across the field then saw the ball switched to the right where McAlpine crossed in the corner, and then a great Branighan break near halfway set up Nash’s hat-trick try.
Gateshead were made to sweat when Fax hit back with a vengeance after the restart. Mark Gleeson powered over and then Greenwood took a short Sean Penywicz pass to put Halifax into double figures.
Gateshead’s only points in the second half came from the boot of Knowles as Fax caused further damage with a brace from hooker Pencywicz. Rob Worrincy then won the race to get on the end of a long boot forward.
But a determined Thunder deservedly held on to produce the shock result of the day.
GATESHEAD THUNDER: Youngquest, McAlpine, Nash, Franze, Sanderson, Aitken, Branighan, Massey, Henderson, McBride, Knowles, Cording, Kahler Subs (all used): Watts, Barron, England, Thorman. Tries: Nash (2,8,37); Cording (17), Branighan (22), McAlpine (33) Goals: Knowles (5/8)
HALIFAX Tries: Pencywicz (59,71), Gleeson (43), Greenwood (47), Worrincy (76) Goals: Patterson (4/5)
Referee: Craig Halloran (Batley) Att: 802
