SHEFFIELD 12 – SANDAL 26
Sandal maintained their unbeaten start to the season in this Yorkshire 1 fixture at Abbeydale Park. In cold and windy conditions, Sheffield, on the back of a heavy defeat the previous week to Heath came out with all guns blazing in an attempt to disrupt Sandal. The men from Milnthorpe Green are a much stronger outfit than in recent seasons and were able to eventually break down the dogged defence of their opponents but the first score was 30 minutes in coming.
A series of Sandal attacks were repelled by Sheffield but they were unable to stop the quick thinking Sam Tee who took a tap penalty himself and burst through the defence of the opposition to score close enough to the posts for Max Whittingham to convert.
The lead was further extended just before the break when centre Andy Hall made a fine break, drew his opponent and fed fellow centre Danny Mitchell who outpaced the defence to score out wide. The conversion was missed but Sandal now led 12 – 0 at the break.
The first score of the second half went to Sheffield who were awarded a penalty following a Sandal infringement and from the resultant line out drove Sandal over the line to score a try which was converted to make the score 12 – 7.
The rest of the game belonged to Sandal who played controlled rugby with replacement fly half Tom Smith playing a key part in this when he kicked two penalties to extend the score to 18 –7.
The lead was further extended when flying winger Simon Frewin raced away from his opposite number to score his 13th try of the current season. Although the conversion was missed by Smith, he was successful with a third penalty to extend Sandal’s lead to 26 – 7. Although the game was won at this point, Sheffield were not to be outdone and scored the final try of the game when Sandal failed to stop the ball carrier who offloaded to his supporting team mate who was driven over the line to make the final score 26 – 12.
This was not Sandal’s best performance of the season but to go away from home and score 26 points is still a fine achievement. Sandal of a couple of years ago would have capitulated under the early onslaught they faced but although this is a young side, they are well drilled and well disciplined and were able to come away from Abbeydale
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