I LOVE Halifax me!

Duffy might not be a 13 but he's possibly been their best player over the 2 games, Thackeray was good tonight.

I thought Gaskell was their biggest yard gainer tonight.

Guessing its a guy called Mick Gledhill

Could be, though I always pictured him as someone a bit older than the lad who was near us.

nervous as last 10 mins but the team spirit at the club atm is top drawer, well done the lads GET IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say well done. We are getting closer though, and I expect it will be even closer the next time we meet.

Halifax just have that little extra over Widnes that wins games, particularly in defence. We were beaten in the ruck again, which is a sign that we just don't have the weight and experience in the pack.

A few decisions went against us imo, but Halifax have beaten us twice now therefore I cannot use it as an excuse.


I look forward to your visit to the Stobart.

Tonight was a top night. A proper rugby match with atmosphere, drama, nail biting moments and some shocking inconsistent reffing as always. Widnes contributed to the whole event, and had a great following - Fair play to the plastics. Best night match since 2001 v Leeds.

I thought they overan us tonight up the middle which is no surprise considering we were pretty much playing with two props in Neil and Jesus, with Dana International contributing a 6 minute spell, and Frank again was incospicuous in his presence. Mammoth effort by super star.

Again, I thought widnes were poor with the ball in hand - again we gave them a lot of possession with which they did very little. Webster just isnt the same player now.

I love HXRLFC even more at the moment

I've got to agree. It would have been a pretty boring night if they hadn't turned up.

I disagree with your disagreement. 95% of the tackles made by Widnes put our player on their back, giving them time to get back into the line, and the remaining tackles saw them trying to wrestle our player over to their backs.

When we tackled, the widnes players immediately dived onto their fronts and up as quick as possible.

That said our defence was superior.

I thought Silverwood was showing a complete Cheshire bias. The re-starts were a shambles. When he let Widnes take the quick re-start towards the end of the game he was nowhere near the play, but still allowed it.

You right, in the second half Halifax didnt take one re-start in the correct spot, it's suppose to be in the middle of the field! Didn't whinge about that did you!?

It was a fantastic game, and I think our ruck play was alot quicker in the second half, but as Cullen has said, we were one play short and let you off the hook alot. It could have been a different story if the breakaway try and the Wildbore's behind the sticks had been given, so don't go counting your chickens just yet. We were alot closer last night than 2 weeks ago, but I must say Fax's defence has been absolutely superb in both games.

I dont think many Fax fans are. Obviously we have confidence in the team and the last two results against you have helped this seeing as though your thought to be our nearest rival and on top of that your the only full time side in this league.

What adds to the confidnce is the fact that we know that we arent fully clicking in attack yet. Once we do and we have all our players availible we will be very very tough to beat.

Same can be said about us. Morrison, Bannister,Kohe-Love and Patterson will be straight into the starting 13 and will make a big difference.

AJ, take it on the chin mate. We all know its a long season and lots can happen, we're just enjoying a great halifax start to a season for a change. After you've been what we've been through recently at least allow us that.

Your list of missing players? - Ours matches it - some pulled out in the warm up, plus the best centre outside of super league was missing.

As for you getting closer to us? Arent you supposed to be full time - setting the level for everyone else?

Lets look forward to a cracking season, but, respect where it's due mate, we're flying at the moment and us fax fans are enjoying being the only unbeaten side in rugby league, as you widnes guys would.

Respect to widnes, (and everyone else), for a cracking season!

The Best Hoooker outside of Super League was also out.

How much better can a Full Time side get, Part time sides take longer to get it all together due to less time spent on the training pitch ect. Widnes are full time and should peak far earlier than other sides.

When they peak is down to training and the coaches getting them to peak at the right time. Being full time won't mean they peak earlier. We probably peaked first last season and there was 3 full time team in our league. It's all about timing it right for the back end of the season like whitehaven did last year.

Widnes play the most boring rugby, I wouldn't be happy watching that every week. Just 1 out scoots all the time until they are well into the oppositions half and they then use the drop off and inside ball all the time. I can see it winning them something this year though as it is that typical SL percentage brand of rugby which is not that exciting to watch.

That said I thought that the game was OK. Quite scrappy with all the penalties and mistakes but think we just edged it.

Must agree about Dana and Frank. If Dana was playing injured then that explains his lack of game time but Frank looked quite a bit off the pace but the other props played well enough to cover them.

Great to see Govin playing well and having a good run I just hope his jinx doesn't strike!!

I thought Cherryholme had a great game.Anybody notice when wrench went off early in the 2nd half we only played one recognised prop ; Cherryholme came back on , then Wilson for a few minutes then Frank for about 5 mins then Cherryholme again ; they moved Larder up to front who I thought had his best game this season.
fax also seem to have lost their early season fluency behind the scrum.Although I think Shad is our best fullback, at the moment I think he should be in the centres , Paterson back on the wing and Greenwood at full back.

was on my way to ther pub when i wrote that, so no time for spell checks! lol had quite a few to celebrate

However my comments re widnes tackle tactics stand

And as for silverwood, if we had lost that game in the last few minutes, i am sure many many more people would have been calling for his head, i thought he had a shocker!

Widnes were slowing it down all game but it's the only tactic you can have against a quality side like fax



Penky was quality throughout usually cant kick at all but was the best kicker and player on the field last night. Missed Tamghart i thought shows how big he is for us. Barker looks twice the player as a wide running second rower. Royston was dodgy at the back but showed why he should be full back with his attacking threat he seems to find gaps that others can't.

All in all, great defensive effort, still hope to have better field position throughout a game than in the 2 widnes games.

IMO Silverwood got the 20m restart decisions right, just FAR TOO PEDANTIC!!!!

Good Widnes following, made plenty of noise.

All in all, a quality cup tie and a brillint advert for Non-SL Rugby League.

That's one of their biggest stengths, Gaskell and Dodd make so many yards from scoots and quick play the balls its almost unplayable.

Apart from tonight. I must admit, 5 mins from time I thought we were gonna lose it but the Fax line defence was heroic, absolute quality!

I know from talking to a couple of the staff that there were injury worries in the run up to this cup tie, but you have to give the boys who turned up with injuries and gave it a go massive credit and also credit Matt Calland for his use of Larder. It can't be easy preparing for a game with doubts over playing partly fit lads, trusting them knowing their own limits, but for Larder to soldier on in the manner he does is typical of the spirit within the camp.


I think the comparisons between Halifax and Widnes should be kept on hold for the later stages of the season, this after-all was the challenge cup and Calland's hearty comments in the courier about his own personal passion for this competition is something to behold. The challenge cup brings back so many great personal memories for myself, watching 'fax win & lose the finals in consecutive years and then my dad reffing it a couple of years later and there certainly seems to be a great buzz around the place now reminiscant of years gone by that has been missing since we left Thrum Hall. Non- SL club at home in the next round please....

Correct and what a great game of Rugby League as the mighty Fax machine rolls on undefeated





I should be at the Batley game Thursday