Fax bow out of Challenge Cup after Belle Vue thriller

Simon Grix’s side, semi finalists in 2019, trailed 10-0 early on, battled back to 10-10 at the break and then led 14-10 and 18-16 before a late Oliver Davies try tipped the game in the Eagles’ favour.

Fax had looked flat from the start after Tuesday night’s disappointment against Dewsbury and were behind inside three minutes, a flat footed defence allowing Davies to score from Anthony Thackeray’s kick behind the line.

Guzdek’s conversion blew wide of it’s target and the visitors, led by prop Keegan Hirst and the livewire James Saltonstall, who was arguably the best player on the field for either side, worked their way back into the contest.

They were almost over when Kevin Larroyer surged clear, but the defence converged and when Fax were penalised in possession soon after, the Eagles rolled downfield and Thackeray’s kick behind left Scott Murrell exposed and Joel Farrell with a simple try.

Guzdek converted and would have been lining up a third attempt if Calderdale junior Zack McComb had held a pass on the right.

Instead, the ball ended up on the floor and Fax finally started getting some joy in attack.

Dan Fleming should have scored after the impressive Jacob Fairbank slipped him through the line, but Fax took the ball left soon after and James Woodburn-Hall, deputising for the injured Tom Gilmore, sent Matt Garside surging over.

Steve Tyrer’s conversion was wide, but the centre soon made up for that at the other end of the field, getting his body under Frankie Mariano to save a try.

And Fax were level two minutes before the break, Murrell running right and back rower Paul Brearley cutting back against the defence to score, Tyrer adding the extras for a 10-10 interval scoreline.

Fax started the second half looking the sharper side, playing the percentages better than they had in the opening 40 minutes.

As a storm blew in across Belle Vue, they took the lead in the 54th minute when a full backline move ended with Saltonstall slipping Jodie Broughton over in the corner. Tyrer’s conversion drifted wide, but the visitors led 14-10.

The Eagles went back in front on 63 minutes, Josh Guzdek gliding through a gap after Thackeray’s kick had forced a drop out and the full back kicking his side 16-14 ahead.

But a penalty on half way got Fax back on the front foot and Fairbank was on hand to pounce on Moore’s grubber kick.

Tyrer’s kick hit the post and bounced out, but the visitors led 18-16 as the final 10 minutes approached.

A nip-and-tuck game finally swung in Sheffield’s favour less than five minutes from time, Davies scoring his second try to put them 20-18 ahead.

Fax threw everything into the final few minutes, but couldn’t find a way back.

Sheffield: Guzdek; Worrincy, Bower, McComb, Millar; Makelim, Thackeray; Wheeldon, Burns, Knowles, Davies, Farrell, Brown. Subs: Davey, Mariano, Burns, Taylor

Halifax: Grix; Robinson, Tyrer, Saltonstall, Broughton; Murrell, Woodburn-Hall; Hirst, Moore, Fairbank, Garside, Brearley, Larroyer. Subs: Carlile, Barber, Fleming, Calcott

Referee: James Vella