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NEWCASTLE THUNDER 56 MIDLANDS HURRICANES 20 PHIL WORLD, Crow Trees, Saturday BRAD WARD broke the club record for tries in a season as Newcastle claimed their 14th league win in a row. The winger scored three of Thunder’s ten tries, taking him to 32 for the season, 26 of them in the league. Thunder will now travel to Dewsbury on Saturday knowing a win will give them second place in the table. Midlands, who have also qualified for the play-offs, stunned their hosts as they started the better of the two teams and deserved an early two-try lead. Firstly, Oliver Roberts spotted a gap in the Thunder defence and went over, with Matty Chrimes converting. Then on twelve minutes Ryan Johnson powered his way through to give the Midlands outfit a 10-0 advantage. Newcastle settled and opened their account when Jordan Lipp did brilliantly to keep the ball alive on the last and it went through the hands for Jude Ferreira to find Andy Djuekessi to score. Myles Harrison converted what proved to be the first of six first-half tries for Thunder, who simply blew Midlands away in that period. Lipp scored shortly after as he jinked through the Midlands defence, with Harrison’s second conversion of an eventual eight-goal haul putting his side ahead. Play was stopped for a period as Midlands’ Isaac Shaw was injured as tried to escape from his in-goal area. Thunder looked at their most dangerous when they went wide and exploited space, which was evident as Ward scored his first of the afternoon to extend the lead to 16-10. Will Roberts then provided a delayed pass for Bailey Antrobus to go through a gap. Thunder kept up their scoring as Mitch Clark powered his way over, then Brenden Santi’s neat offload found Roberts to score and the Tynesiders led 34-10 at half-time. Midlands started the second half like the first, and a dangerous crossfield kick was taken by Chrimes who dotted over. Thunder were threatening with their build-up play, but lacked composure at times when it came to the pivotal moment. Both sides were testing each other with a high kicking game, but they both dealt with it well. Newcastle scored next in the 52nd minute as Joe Law did excellently to keep the ball alive and Ward went over in the corner. Midlands didn’t give up though and were determined to have their say. Lewis Else was tricky in the halves and Chrimes looked dangerous out wide. The danger told when Thunder went for the kill, Chrimes intercepted and did brilliantly to keep his composure to round Ward, score the try and add the conversion. Thunder killed the game off with three more tries in the final ten minutes, however. Ward went over for his hat-trick, Lipp spotted a gap in the defence and the excellent King Vuniyayawa barged over to take the final score to 56-20. GAMESTAR: King Vuniyayawa led the carrying for Newcastle to make space for those outside him. GAMEBREAKER: Thunder’s second-quarter display, scoring six tries that blew Midlands away. MATCHFACTS THUNDER 25 Jack Smith 2 Andy Djeukessi 3 Joe Law 1 Myles Harrison 5 Brad Ward 27 Jordan Lipp 7 Will Roberts 10 Ryan Jackson 22 John Sagaga 15 Brenden Santi 8 Bailey Antrobus 11 Harvey Reynolds 17 King Vuniyayawa Subs (all used) 4 Jude Ferreira 12 Noah Whittingham 18 Ukuma Ta’ai 20 Mitch Clark Tries: Djeukessi (19), Lipp (21, 75), Ward (28, 52, 70), Antrobus (32), Clark (37), Roberts (40), Vuniyayawa (77) Goals: Harrison 8/10 HURRICANES 23 Aidan McGowan 2 Matty Chrimes 31 Liam Sutcliffe 4 Ross Oakes 5 Luis Roberts 19 Sully Medforth 7 Lewis Else 8 Jon Luke Kirby 9 Aiden Roden 15 Elliot Morris 3 Ryan Johnson 12 Oliver Roberts 20 Toby Warren Subs (all used) 16 Zeus Silk 17 Kieran Moran 26 Ethan Newboult 28 Isaac Shaw Tries: Roberts (7), Johnson (12), Chrimes (44, 66) Goals: Chrimes 2/4 SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 6-10, 12-10, 16-10, 22-10, 28-10, 34-10; 34-14, 38-14, 38-20, 44-20, 50-20, 56-20 Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match Thunder: King Vuniyayawa; Hurricanes: Matty Chrimes Penalty count: 5-4 Half-time: 34-10 Referee: Denton Arnold