Brighouse Rangers 28 Dalton 18

Hooker Jamie Barraclough was in splendid form as Brighouse Rangers established an unbeatable half-time advantage over Dalton in the Pennine League Division One clash at Russell Way.

Rangers loose forward Richard McGlade made inroads into the visitors' rearguard to set up the chance for centre Liam Stead to reach the whitewash early doors before the youthful Cumbrian outfit hit back to equalise when hooker Joe Smith caught the hosts napping with a show and run to the chalk.

Barraclough proved he was more than equal to his opposite number when he backed up to collect a short offload to cross at the side of the sticks and added the conversion himself to put the Rangers in front 10-4.

The hosts suffered a setback when stand-off Ben Denman was forced to leave the fray with an ankle injury but they made light of the loss when prop forward Lee Robson showed a surprising turn of speed to weave his way through a series of filmsy tackles to reach the whitewash.

The one way traffic continued when scrum half Jacob Hyde collected a cross kick to pounce at the side of the uprights, leaving full back Karl Frankland to slot over the extras.

There was a welcome bonus shortly before the half-time whistle when second row forward Ben Waud galloped over following two suspicious looking forward passes.

Brighouse were looking to increase their 24-4 advantage in the second stanza but it was Dalton who hit their straps when a sweeping passing exchange saw wingman Jack Gelding cruise in at the corner flag.

Rangers replied instantly when the visitors dropped the high restart, leaving centre Jordon Sild a gift near the flag.

The hosts then took their foot off the gas and allowed the classy Dalton stand-off Ryan Johnstone to dominate the rest of the game.

The Barrow Academy youngster produced a spell-binding array of precision passes to send his centre Ryan Baines sprinting 60 metres to the try line and they had another effort from Gelding mysteriously disallowed.

The well-organised Brighouse defence was up for the task but they could do little to prevent Dalton having the final hurrah when Johnstone spotted nobody at home at the rear and threaded through a raking grubber kick to give Baines his brace.