Yorkshire Division Three: Halifax 15 Baildon 8

DESPITE taking a weakened team to bottom-of-the-table Halifax, Baildon were hopeful that they could beat a side that they had trounced 75-0 in the home fixture.

The visitors started well, but missed an easy penalty when Dan Hayward sliced wide from ten metres out in front of the posts.

JJ O'Connell took over the kicking duties and made no mistake when the hosts came off their feet at a ruck following good work by James Fox and Will Tomlinson.

The game then became scrappy, with neither side being able to put together more than two or three phases.

Baildon then missed an opportunity after James Dawson had won a penalty, kicking the ball for the corner but instead putting it dead.

Halifax, seeking their first win of the season, then scored a converted try after four phases.

Nathan King and veterans Nick Murphy and Dawson then created another chance which petered out when the ball was knocked on, and Halifax reached half-time 7-3 in front.

The hosts had a player sin-binned for a high tackle on Matty Dixon, but went further ahead via a try for a prop in the corner in what can only be put down to poor defending.

Baildon pressed from the restart and were rewarded with a try by Tom Peel but the visitors' concentration then faded, Halifax increasing their advantage with a penalty for hands in the ruck.