Batley 10 Hornets 26 , Oldham lose at Hull K.R., therefore Hornets finish 3rd in the table.It was a rare afternoon. One where the quality of the game was of little significance in comparison with the outcome. For, while Hornets were digging in to overcome Batley, over on the East coast Oldham were floundering at Hull KR.
This combination of results meant that Hornets ended this NFP campaign sitting proudly in third place - one place above Oldham, which is as good as a season can get, really.
But Hornets didn't have it all their own way at a sweltering Mount Pleasant. From the outset, Batley were determined to niggle and spoil. 'Uncompromising' tackling and some spurious behaviour in the tackle knocked this rearranged Hornets side off its stride in the opening exchanges. As Glen Tomlinson strove to get his game together - he spread forward passes and general ill- feeling around the field all afternoon - Hornets took control after 8 minutes as Brendan O'Meara fed Marlon Billy who obliged by speeding through a static defence to score from 40 metres. Woody converted - and scored again ten minutes later with a penalty.
But Batley came back. From a dubious scrum - a Matty Knowles tackle caused a Batley player to drop the ball under the impact, but referee Nicholson saw a knock on that no-one else in the ground did - Batley shipped the ball right. Despite the last pass appearing to go a foot or so forward, Horsley greatfuly accepted and scooted in to score. Dyson converted impressively.
As Batley continued to ride their luck with their perpetual spoiling, Mr Nicholson chose one offence at random and Woody slotted the penalty.
With Hornets leading 10-6 at half time - and the prospect of Batley coming down the hill in the second half - Hornets sizeable travelling contingent steeled themselves for an uncomfortable second half.
But a different Hornets took the field. Obviously with a Martin Hall rocket up them, they stepped up the pace, led by blockbusting prop Joe Berry. His relentless pounding up the slope took its toll on a tiring Batley pack. Time and again his determination drove Hornets into good field positions. On 53 minutes, Berry's huge burst took him to within a couple of yards. Quick thinking and good vision saw Darren Robinson ghost through to score.
Berry repeated the feat seven minutes later, this time completing the job himself, twisting and bustling his way over. And as Hornets pulled the game beyond Batley's reach, the Bulldogs visibly wilted. Joe Berry it was who exploited this drop in Batley's belief. On 62 minutes he scrambled and shoved his way into space on the left, just enough space to provide Marlon Billy with a run to the line for the try that leaves him one short of equalling the Hornets club record.
At 26-6 Batley looked dead and gone. But they had one last trick to play. A superbly executed short kick off saw Mark Cass gather and hare downfield. He seemed certain to score amidst a napping Hornets defence, but they scrambled to halt him just short. Glen Tomlinson's last act of the game was to provide a long pass through the threequarters for North to score in the corner. The conversion attempt by Dyson hardly left the ground.
And that was that. Hornets supporters sang and celebrated in the sun as Martin Hall's thoughts turn to next week's trip to SuperLeague wannabees Widnes.
Almost regardless of the score next week, to finish third in the NFP will have surprised most people and it's a reason to be proud of Hornets' achievements. The irony is that, having achieved so much in so short a time, the further we go the more we want - it just seems a shame for the ride to end.
Anything we achieve from here is a huge bonus. So let's enjoy it.