Happy return to Dewsbury Rams for Liam Finn as Halifax Panthers start Championship season with hard-fought win

Fax had to come from 4-0 and 10-6 behind but two tries in the space of five second half minutes from Joe Keyes and Louis Jouffret - when the Rams had Jackson Walker sent to the sin-bin - proved to be a decisive turning point.

Finn guided the Rams to the League 1 title - and an instant return to the second tier - at the end of last season before becoming Fax’s head coach before the 2024 campaign.

And, despite Dewsbury not playing a competitive fixture in 35 days following their exits from the 1895 Cup and the Challenge Cup, Finn still expected the “very best version” of his former side now led by Dale Ferguson.

His warning was shown to be correct as the Rams took the lead in the 13th minute. Jacob Hookem, who escaped a nervy moment straight from the kick off, went close along with former Fax star Matt Garside. But, on the last play in the same set, Calum Turner produced an exquisite high kick which was caught splendidly by Perry Whiteley who outjumped James Saltonstall to touch down on the far side.

Turner missed the difficult conversion but another lofty bomb from the scrum half caused brief panic as Whiteley knocked the ball back to be touched down again, but the chasing Dewsbury pack were offside.

But Fax, on a heavy pitch, slowly edged back into the contest, which had another interesting subplot with the Davies twins Curtis, of Dewsbury, and Halifax’s Connor coming up against each other.

The first sign of a Panthers response came through the relatively quiet Greg Eden who was dragged into touch when he was found by Ben Tibbs.

But you could sense a try was coming. Fax’s next set saw them progress magnificently up the field from deep within their own half before Jouffret crashed over. He converted his own try to give the visitors a slender 6-4 lead.

Both sides then had spells of pressure but could not find a second try. Former NRL star Gareth Widdop started on the bench for Fax but showed his class when he finally came on in the first half with a kick into the corner as Fax finished the half the strongest.

It was the Rams who started the second half the better team though as another crossfield kick from Turner crossfield caused mayhem but his teammates could not ground the ball over the line.

However, the home side took full advantage when Fax’s Jacob Fairbank was sent to the sin-bin following an incident which resulted in Jacob Hookem requiring treatment.

Hookem was soon got back on his his feet as he got the Rams back in front, scooting over from dummy half.

The stand-off, who may not have even been starting had Paul Sykes not been banned for the game, was the temporary match winner.

But the game’s decisive moment was on the horizon. With their full complement of 13 players all on the pitch, Walker was sent to the sin bin as Woodburn-Hall was stopped on the line with a very high tackle.

And they made their own man advantage pay with Keyes squeezing through a gap to level the game before Jouffret converted to edge them in front.

In the blink of an eye, 12-10 was soon 18-10 as Jouffret got his second try of the game by barging over from dummy half, and his third conversion.

Dewsbury did not let their heads drop and applied some late pressure to try and get back into the contest but Whiteley’s effort was ruled out.

And Fax sealed an opening day win through Woodburn-Hall right on the hooter, with Widdop claiming his first points for his hometown club with the conversion, as Finn’s first return to Dewsbury proved to be a happy one.

Dewsbury: O’Connor, Whiteley, Greensmith, M Walker, Carr, Hookem, Turner, Beckett, Davies, Bibby, Garside, Dawson, Collinson

Interchanges: Rush, Billington, J Walker, Hird

Tries: Whiteley, Hookem

Conversions: Turner

Halifax: Woodburn-Hall, Saltonstall, McComb, Tibbs, Eden, Jouffret, Keyes, Tangata, Inman, Larroyer, Kavanagh, Gee, C Davies

Interchanges: Widdop, Fairbank, Lannon, O Davies

Tries: Jouffret (2), Keyes, Woodburn-Hall

Conversions: Jouffret (3), Widdop