Alex Ward stars on return as Eastmoor Dragons hit back from shock start to beat King Cross Park

The converted try was followed by another try on nine minutes to make it 10-0 with the Dragons wondering what had hit them in this Pennine Division Three match.

But gradually Eastmoor found their composure and went on to win 38-16.

Their comeback started when prop Reece Nicholson crossed the line on 19 minutes, with players’ player Jordan Walker converting.

Jordan Walker then burst through from 40 yards out with Jayk Javens converting to put the Dragons ahead.

In his first game since returning to the club Alex Ward was next on the scoresheet and Javens’ goal made it 18-10 at half-time.

King Cross were first to score after the break, but their converted try was to be their last as Eastmoor upped their game.

A crossfield move saw Javens the beneficiary of good work by young centre Liam Reynolds, who was having his best game since joining the open age, and Pennine League man of the match Alex Ward who combined well to put the winger in for a try on 49 minutes.

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It was all Eastmoor now and hard working prop Richard Roberts put in a devastating burst which the Halifax side could not cope with to score near the posts, giving Javens a simple conversion to make it 28-16.

King Cross had no answer to Eastmoor’s power play and once more their defence crumbled when Declan Nicholson linked well with Walker for the loose forward’s second try under the posts. Another Javens conversion took the score to 34-16 and there no coming back from the Halifax outfit.

The scoring was completed when centre Tom Wrigglesworth created space for hard working second row Luke Peel who swept in for a try.

Forwards Connor Pawson, Jimmy Burnside and Mark Matthews put in big stints, but it was new boy Ward who stole the limelight, as his pace proved too much for the Halifax side who could not handle it.

Eastmoor have no game this weekend because of the Rugby League World Cup Final, but return to action on Saturday, November 26 when entertaining Almondbury Spartans, 2pm kick-off.