Overcoming an early setback, the Dalton schoolboys disposed of Whitehaven’s St Benedict’s to take the game by the scruff of the neck at Askam’s Fallowfield Park.
The sides met in Year 10, when Dowdales shaded affairs by six points, and the rematch promised to be another tough encounter.
The south Cumbrians kicked off and St Benedict’s attacked their line with purpose.
Hooker Ellison Holgate was a constant threat and found runners from both sides of the ruck.
Dowdales responded with good defence, with Adam McQuistan, Brodie Park and Jack Newby producing solid teamwork.
There were 10 minutes on the clock when pressure from the west Cumbrians paid off.
Dowdales were camped on their own goal line and, despite holding out for four tackles, St Benedict’s crossed on the last as a good move from Holgate found Elliot Jackson, who crashed over. Holgate converted.
The Dalton side kicked off and forced the error on the third tackle and from then on they seemed determined to complete their sets and build pressure.
Strong running from Alfie Thomas, Corey Morgan and Brad Richards, combined with quick thinking from the excellent Keir Shepherd, set them up near the St Benedict’s line.
James Wallis found Taylor Carter, who finished brilliantly, showing great control to ground the ball with one hand. Wallis converted well from the touchline.
Dowdales were finding their stride and each St Benedict’s attack was foiled.
On the flanks, Zak Steel and Jake Steindl withstood the pressure well and the Furness side’s pack were tackling everything St Benedict’s came down the middle with.
Loose forward Robert Salt showed a high work rate and tackle count, working well with Josh Dodd and Morgan.
Dowdales turned up the heat and on the fourth tackle Shepherd jumped out and found Wallis, who intelligently tipped the ball back for inside runner – and man-of-the-match – Salt to score left of the sticks. Wallis added the two.
Into the second half, St Benedict’s came back strongly, pressing Dowdales deep in their own half.
Again, strong defence from Richards, Morgan and McQuistan held up the latest attempt at the line.
In turn, Dowdales then pushed hard. Newby and Thomas made good ground before Shepherd made another sharp run off the ruck, finding Salt who broke clear and drew two men into the tackle and found Zak Steel with a looping pass. He finished well in the left corner.
St Benedict’s were still not out of the match, but a great high ball retrieval from Sam Johnson and some excellent footwork left Dowdales in a good position again.
A strong run from Morgan left the St Benedict’s line scrambling and he was just held up short of the line.
Crarey found Brodie Park, who kicked through and Taylor Carter retrieved the ball for his second score.
Minutes later, a Wallis bomb was chased excellently by Jack Crarey, who alongside Salt, kept the St Benedict’s full back to negative return yardage.
The following play saw Dowdales’ line speed force an error and turn their opponents round, pressing the St Benedict’s line.
Crarey jumped out well from dummy half and Richards was the player on the end of the Johnson pass to bust the defence for the final touchdown of the match, with James Wallis converting.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here