Dewsbury 34, Eagles 16: Tetley's defeat is a bitter pill to take for Aston's men

Sheffield Eagles' George Tyson, pictured scoring a try against Swinton Lions, was recalled for the trip to Dewsbury

It has been an Easter to forget for Mark Aston’s side who followed up Good Friday’s defeat at Featherstone with another loss at the Tetley’s Stadium, leaving them languishing in the lower reaches of the Kingstone Press Championship.

Aston’s side have now lost their last four league games and face a tough trip to Bradford Bulls next week as the Eagles look to try and halt their worrying slide.

Aston gave a recall to George Tyson at centre, who deputised for the injured Menzie Yere, whilst young prop Jack Blagbrough was also included in the 17.

The hosts made the early running and bagged the opening try after just three minutes. Paul Sykes handed on to winger Dale Morton who dived over in the corner, but Sykes failed with the conversion battling against a stiff breeze.

The Eagles were finding a stubborn Dewsbury defence hard to break down, and their chances weren’t helped when Cory Aston’s loose pass was gobbled up by Sykes with the visitors well placed to score.

It was Dewsbury who extended their lead with a terrific flowing move involving Joe Farrell, Morton, Josh Guzdek and Sykes which got the hosts close to the whitewash. After Paul Jackson was denied, Dalton Grant scrambled over on the next play, and Sykes converted.

Aston’s side badly needed some spark and they found it 10 minutes before the interval. Despite strong suspicions of a forward pass in the build up, Tyson was onto a loose pass by Knowles in a flash, before finding Dave Hewitt on the inside for an easy run-in. Knowles converted.

The Rams pinched a try right on the half-time hooter when Morton scrambled over the whitewash for his second score, and Sykes nailed a difficult conversion.

The Eagles dragged themselves back into the contest through a familiar avenue when Quentin Laulu-Togagae found Rob Worrincy who crashed his way over to score his tenth try of the season, but Knowles fluffed the conversion.

The Eagles were then to suffer a double blow when half-back Hewitt was forced off with an injury, and from the restart the hosts reaffirmed their grip on the game when Shane Grady profited from a Nathan Conroy break to score. Sykes converted.

The game was effectively sealed four minutes later when smart play by the home side ended with Farrell breezing through the Eagles defence for the Rams’ fifth try, which was converted by Sykes.

The Eagles gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Aston found Knowles who crashed over, before converting, but it was too little too late for Aston’s side as Sykes slotted a late penalty and Luke Adamson scored a late try for Dewsbury.

Dewsbury: Guzdek, Morton, Crookes, Sykes, Grant; Glover, Kain; T. Adamson, Conroy, Jackson; Grady, Hale; Farrell. Interchange: Wright, Teanby, Tonks, L. Adamson.

Scorers: Tries: Morton (3, 40), Grant (18), Grady (58), Farrell (62), L Adamson (80) Goals: Sykes 5/7

Eagles: Laulu-Togagae, Worrincy, Straugheir, Tyson, Blackmore; Aston, Hewitt; Thorpe, Carlile, Wheeldon; Knowles, Neal; Fozard. Interchange: Jacks, Stringer, Minchella, Blagbrough.

Scorers: Tries: Hewitt (30), Worrincy (49), Knowles (67) Goals: Knowles 2/3

Referee: Jamie Bloem

Attendance: 813