Skirlaugh Extend Unbeaten Home Record with Dominant Derby Victory

Skirlaugh continued their outstanding home form with an emphatic 50-12 victory over local rivals Hull Dockers, extending their unbeaten record on home soil with a nine-try display full of power, pace and attacking quality.

The home side settled quickest and were rewarded inside the opening eight minutes as captain Josh Atkcinson rossed twice. The first came following neat build-up play involving Lochlan Fitzgerald, while the second owed much to the hard running of Barney Fishwick. Kieran Smith was unable to add either conversion from difficult positions in the blustery conditions, leaving Skirlaugh 8-0 in front.

Dockers responded well and former Skirlaugh prop Calvin Parker crashed over from close range to reduce the deficit to 8-6, briefly giving the visitors hope of making a contest of the derby.

Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly extinguished.

A superb short-side move masterminded by George Thompson saw the hooker put Jack Taylor through a gap before Taylor sprinted 40 metres and unselfishly returned the pass for Thompson to finish beside the posts. Smith converted to restore Skirlaugh's two-score advantage.

With momentum firmly behind them, Skirlaugh's pack began to dominate. After several powerful carries, Matty Shepherdson produced one of the tries of the afternoon, breaking clear from halfway before brushing aside the Dockers full-back to finish a brilliant individual effort. Smith added the extras in difficult kicking conditions.

The hosts were now in complete control, with Player of the Match George Thompson dictating the game around the ruck and constantly asking questions of the Dockers defence. Up front, Leo Tennison, Harry Gotts, Harvey Dickson and Scott Mountain continually won the collision, laying the platform for Skirlaugh's expansive attack.

Another slick move on the right edge saw Fitzgerald send Fishwick charging through a huge gap before the back-rower produced a perfectly timed inside pass for the supporting Smith to score, giving Skirlaugh a commanding 26-6 lead at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern as Thompson and Smith continued to orchestrate the attack.

Atkinson completed his hat-trick after excellent support play from a half break by the veteran John Gay, before another rehearsed move from Fitzgerald sliced the Dockers defence apart. Nathan Dunn somehow gathered the ball at full stretch before producing an outstanding offload for Fitzgerald to race over beneath the posts.

Dockers managed a late consolation when their second-rower forced his way over in the corner following some loose Skirlaugh defending, with an excellent touchline conversion reducing the arrears.

Skirlaugh, however, had the final say.

Strong carries from Matty King and Ross Kemp earned excellent field position before Smith produced the moment of the match. Spotting tired defenders, the stand-off sold two dummies, burst through the middle and rounded the full-back from 30 metres to complete a superb hat-trick with a sensational solo try.

Smith finished an excellent afternoon with seven goals from nine attempts, while Thompson's all-round display deservedly earned him the Player of the Match award. Smith's outstanding attacking performance saw him collect the Ex-Players' Man of the Match accolade.

The victory not only secured another impressive derby win but also maintained Skirlaugh's unbeaten home record, with Eastside Community Sports Trust continuing to prove a fortress. The performance keeps Matt Danville's side firmly on track as they enter a crucial stage of both the league campaign and the BARLA National Cup.

Player of the Match: George Thompson

Ex-Players' Man of the Match: Kieran Smith

Try Scorers
🏉 Josh Atkinson (3)
🏉 Kieran Smith (3)
🏉 George Thompson
🏉 Matty Shepherdson
🏉 Lochlan Fitzgerald

Goals:
🎯 Kieran Smith 7/9

Head Coach Matt Danville

"I'm really pleased with the win but not overly happy with the performance. Derby games can be known to become scrappy and this was certainly one of those game in large parts, but I thought once we settled into our rhythm we did show and played some outstanding rugby i would have just liked it to be a bit more tidy and clinical. Our middles laid a fantastic platform, George Thompson controlled the ruck superbly and Kieran Smith was outstanding with the ball in hand.

Our support play was excellent. We scored a number of tries because players worked hard to stay alive in the attack and back each other up. That's a big part of what we've been building this season.

Hull Dockers tested us physically early on and deserve credit for the way they competed, but I thought our attitude, discipline and fitness allowed us to pull away. There are still areas we can improve, but scoring 50 points in a local derby is something the players should be proud of.

We're delighted to keep our unbeaten home record going. We speak a lot about making this place a fortress and the players have certainly done that. The supporters have been brilliant all season and they continue to drive us on. We'll enjoy this one, recover well and then quickly turn our attention to the next challenge."