Challenge Cup: Brave Siddal bow out after giving Thunder a scare

The home side’s ground staff worked heroically in the build up to the game to produce a playing surface that defied the rain that had poured throughout the week.

The National Conference amateurs will rue a slack two minute spell just before the half time whistle, in which the game turned in Thunder’s favour.

The first half was evenly contested, with Newcastle forcing two early drop outs but Siddal’s defence held firm.

Newcastle went ahead with a classy try after 12 minutes. There was a good exchange of passes between the Thunder scrum half Reece Dean and his second row colleague Adam Lawton and Dean found winger Alex Clegg in space out wide and he touched down. Dean’s conversion made the scores 0-6.

Siddal clawed their way back into the game and drew level after 21 minutes. Following a loose ball, home scrum half Will Scrimshaw reacted first and his deft kick ahead left him clear to dive over next to the posts, giving Gareth Blackburn a simple conversion to level the scoreline at 6-6.

The prospects of another shock looked to be on the cards 10 minutes later when Scrimshaw and Jamie Greenwood combined to find Henry Turner, who managed to score despite three Thunder defenders hanging on to him. The conversion attempt was wide but at 10-6, the Halifax side was playing with a level of confidence that shook the visitors.

Thunder struck back with two tries in two minutes just before the break, both from their hooker Sam Blake. The first of his brace was a trademark dive over the line from acting half back and the second was when he backed up a break from talisman QLT to score just before the half time hooter sounded. With Dean converting both tries, the visitors were ahead 10-18 going into the second half.

The second period started with a hailstorm to greet the large crowd. Siddal plugged away, but couldn’t breach a tight Thunder defence. The visitors scored three tries in the second half, through Sam Luckley on 46 minutes, prop Mikey Wood on 75 minutes and the game came to a conclusion with winger Joe Brown touching down as the final hooter sounded, to finish the scores at a harsh looking 10-30 on Siddal, who can now focus on their NCL league campaign, which begins in a fortnight away to champions West Hull.