HUDDERSFIELD YMCA 0 - SANDAL COUGARS 22
Sandal Cougars made the short trip to YMCA intent on maintaining their 100% record for 2008 and claim their seventh straight merit league victory. Due to injury and unavailability, Cougars were forced into personnel and positional changes, none more so than skipper Paul Brennan who volunteered to perform on the wing rather than his regular hooker birth.
In a wind affected match where the elements and a narrow pitch put paid to any free flowing rugby, Cougars looked to their forwards who dominated up front from the whistle. Pack-leader Dave Bott was always in the thick of any driving maul, and Purcells bullish rampages deep into opposition territory were too much for the home side to handle.
The first score came from a scrum near the YMCA line, scrum-half Brett Hunt feeding fly-half Damian Edge on the blind side who managed to squeeze over in the corner. A further Edge penalty extended Cougars lead to 8-0. Brett Hunt claimed the next try for himself wide out on the right after the home side failed to clear deep inside their 22. With the wind blowing the ball off the tee by the touchline on approach, Edge drop-goaled his side into a 15-0 half time lead.
With the elements deteriorating, the second half saw the ball more off the field than on, and the only try of the half came when Brennan chased a long kick up field and caught the full-back in possession. Quickly joined by centre partnership Alex Seckham and Liam Hunt, Cougars drove YMCA back and under pressure. They managed to scrabble the ball out for a Cougars line-out ten yards from their line. The reliable Blackhurst claimed possession at the throw in, the forwards surged towards the try area and the ball found its way to Edge who danced to the line for his second of the game, adding the extras for a 22-0 victory.
Special mention for an industrious non-stop athletic performance goes to Tom Hirst who has added to Cougars overall strength.
Cougars welcome Keighley next Saturday for a 3pm kick-off as they push themselves into contention for the Merit League title.
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