Handforth serves up masterclass as Cougars destroy Newcastle

PAUL Handforth appears certain to retire at the end of the season – and bring down the curtain on a distinguished career.

On the evidence of his latest masterclass, the 34-year-old playmaker might just be ready to consider.

Handforth scored a hat-trick of tries to destroy Newcastle in a stunning second-half display which underlined Cougars’ potential.

The visitors led 10-6 at the break but an incredible purple patch harvested six tries in 14 minutes to put the game to bed.

March, whose side parade the iPro Sport Cup they had won seven days earlier, said of Handforth: “Tiger has backed up his man-of-the-match performance in Blackpool with another outstanding display.

“He wasn’t 100 per cent today but when Paul Handforth takes the ball to the line he is a dangerous player.

“That’s why he gets the big bucks and hopefully we can get him to stay on because he’s a major part of what we do.”

March handed a debut to 18-year-old prop Jamel Goodall, who started in the front row after impressing for the club’s reserves side during the past year.

Handforth opened the scoring when he broke the line and dummied his way past full back Thomas Reudiger for a fine individual effort.

Yet Newcastle hit back when stand-off Lewis Young collected possession 10 metres out and jinked past Charlie Martin for an unconverted score.

Cougars committed a number of handling errors and three minutes before the break the visitors scored again through former Wakefield winger Peter Fox, who powered through Ritchie Hawkyard’s challenge in the left corner.

The second half was all about Cougars as Handforth went over after a marauding run from John Oakes.

Handforth showed outstanding vision to flight a searching kick to the right corner where Vinny Finigan caught the ball and grounded in clinical fashion.

Two minutes later, Liam Darville producing a cut-out pass to send Rikki Sheriffe over the line.

Cougars struck again when, after Paul White was denied from Reudiger’s last-ditch tackle denied him, Sheriffe went over in the corner on the next play.

Handforth scored his second try in the 55th minute when the imposing Ross Peltier’s brute force took him close to Newcastle’s line before he produced a delightful offload to put Handforth over from close range.

Two minutes later, Handforth completed his hat-trick in the when he took James Feather’s pass to race clear from 20 metres out.

The procession continued when Darville went over from close range before Newcastle replied when Reudiger touched down Mikey Wood’s kick in the right corner.

Brothers Ritchie and Darren Hawkyard were forced off the field with a hamstring strain and a suspected torn calf respectively, with both set to miss this weekend’s trip to North Wales Crusaders.

Attendance: 827