Heavy Woollen Derby: Batley Bulldogs fight back to ensure Boxing Day draw with Dewsbury Rams

The Bulldogs had to fight back from a two-score deficit at the home of their fierce rivals with tries from debutants Joe Burton and Luke Cooper cancelling out efforts from Ronan Dixon and Louis Collinson to secure a 12-12 draw.

But, thanks to Batley’s 32-22 success at the Fox’s Biscuit Stadium in the festive fixture last year, the Roy Powell Trophy, named in tribute of the Dewsbury-born former Batley player who sadly passed away in 1998, will be staying with the Bulldogs.

In a low key affair, the so-called friendly was brought to life on the half-time hooter as Dixon powered over from close range - which was the first time the Bulldogs were severely tested on their own line after dominating the opening half for large spells, mainly thanks to an error-strewn showing from the home side.

The Rams made ten errors in the first 40, the vast majority for play-the-ball offences. However, their determined defence proved strong enough to deny the Bulldogs who just could not, despite their best efforts, break through.

Dane Manning came close to touching down early on but he failed to get his hands on the ball after a cute grubber kick. And, after George Senior had made valuable yardage on the right, the Bulldogs moved it neatly to the left but Elliot Kear was dispatched into touch.

As the error count kept rising, the flow of the game became disjointed. But both teams could be excused bearing in mind the number of new signings on display with Travis Corion, Curtis Davies, Bailey Dawson, Marcus Walker, Joel Russell and Jamie Field all named on a 20-man team sheet for the Rams.

There were seven debutants for the Bulldogs with Burton, Copper, Robbie Butterworth, Paul Chitakunye, Joshua Rhodes and David and Joseph Gibbons all getting a chance to shine for new head coach Mark Moxon.

But, just when it looked like nothing would separate the sides before the interval, Dixon forced himself over before the evergreen Paul Sykes, about to enter his 26th year in the sport at the age of 42, easily made the conversion.

The start to the second half was exactly the same as the commencement of the first, with the Bulldogs on the front foot.

However, the Rams withstood three consecutive sets and even managed to extend their lead with their very first attack of the second half with Collinson breaking through the line. Again, Sykes made no mistake from in front of the sticks to make it 12-0.

Batley looked for an immediate response but Dale Morton couldn’t keep hold of the ball when well placed.

They did, however, get the try they deserved after 64 minutes when debutants Burton, twin brother of fellow Bulldogs player Oli, and David Gibbons combined, with Burton catching the scrum half’s kick and racing past the static Dewsbury defence to touch down behind the posts. Gibbons nailed the conversion to make it 12-6.

And they restored full parity going into the final six minutes when Cooper, a former ballboy at Mount Pleasant and the first signing of the Moxon era following the prop’s move from Featherstone Rovers, crashed over from close range.

Gibbons again converted as the Bulldogs ensured they retained the Roy Powell Trophy.

Dewsbury: Restall, Corion, O'Connor, Greensmith, Whiteley, Sykes, Turner, Beckett, Davies, R Dixon, Graham, Summers, Dawson

Interchanges: Collinson, Carr, M Walker, Russell, Field, D Dixon, J Walker

Tries: R Dixon, Collinson

Conversions: Sykes (2)

Batley: Butterworth, Morton, Senior, J Burton, Kear, White, D Gibbons, Gledhill, Leak, Cooper, Manning, Buchanan, Blake

Interchanges: O Burton, Ward, J Gibbons, Johnson, Chitakunye, Rhodes

Tries: J Burton, Cooper

Conversions: D Gibbons