Thornhill Trojans encouraged by display despite Betfred Challenge Cup defeat to Fryston Warriors

Despite an enthusiastic showing from the Trojans, the match fitness of their opponents allowed them to pull clear as the game wore on to win 38-22.

Thornhill gave first team debuts to a number of players, most noticeably 16-year-olds Oliver Boocock, at hooker, and Thomas Cullen who was thrust into the starting 13 when Thomas Green pulled up injured in the pre-match warm-up.

Their prospects did not look good when, using the slope to their advantage, Fryston scored inside two minutes.

Mitch Platt ran onto a short ball and charged over for a try from close range. Leyton Davies converted.

This early score gave new Thornhill coach Anthony Broadhead food for thought. But there was an instant response as Jordan Lowther burrowed under a pile of bodies to score an unconverted try.

The end to end start continued when a brilliant Fryston pass found Rhys Bonser out wide to go over in the corner for a try converted by Davies.

Thornhill continued to battle with good spirit and it looked as though Chris Mitchell had scored in the corner in front of the vocal Fryston supporters, however the referee waved away this score due to a forward pass.

Undeterred, Thornhill continued to press. A run around involving Ryan Mitchell unpicked the Fryston defence and George Woodcock powered over for a try to which Joel Gibson added the extras.

Just as Thornhill had reduced Fryston's lead to only two points they swiftly undid their good work by letting in a sloppy try.

The Trojans spilled the ball trying to take play away from their own half and rather than killing play, Fryston were allowed to toe poke the ball back towards the try line. They gave chase and Ryan Joseph won it to score from a nothing situation, much to the visitors’ embarrassment. Davies converted.

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Thornhill made an instant impact in the second half when Jordan Lowther charged over out-wide for his second try and Woodcock converted to once again reduce the deficit to two points.

However, from this point Fryston began to take a hold on the game and pull clear as their match fitness told.

It was another Thornhill mistake which gifted the Warriors their next try. A high kick close to the line was fluffed and Jae Priest pounced to score.

Priest quickly scored his second try when another kick caught Thornhill out.

Fryston's hold on the second half seemed to continue despite the sin-binning of Connor Jordan for a spear tackle on Nathan Lowther as despite being down to 12 men they managed to score two further tries.

Harvey Kear showed superb strength to stand up in a tackle, despite several Thornhill defenders hanging onto him, to force his way over for a try that was goaled by Davies.

The try which really sealed Thornhill's exit from this year's Betfred Challenge Cup was a longer range score finished by George Thrower as he sprinter clear. Davies converted to trigger a large number of spectators to start heading from the exit gate.

In the closing stages Gibson and Fryston's Leyton Davies were sin binned as emotions boiled over.

The last action saw Nathan Lowther score a wonderful consolation try for Thornhill as he ran around the Fryston defence to create an opening and go over. Woodcock converted.

Trojans: 1 Ryan Mitchell; 2 Chris Mitchell, 19 Joss Ratcliffe, 4 Richard Llewellyn, 5 Taylor Potts; 6 Jordan Lowther, 7 Joel Gibson; 8 Josh Riley, 9 Oliver Boocock, 10 Liam Harley, 3 Thomas Culling, 14 Nathan Lowther, 13 George Woodcock. Subs: 11 Thomas Green (not used) 15 Ewan McDonald, 22 James Stanley.

Man of the Match: George Woodcock