Sandal Cougars 34 - 5 Wharfedale
Sandal Cougars kicked off the New Year looking both to maintain their 100% home record in competitive fixtures and to exact revenge on a Wharfedale side who beat them on the opening day of the season. They had the perfect start, as the kickoff from Wharfedale failed to go 10 metres, and from the resulting scrummage Sandal first tested the defence on the left, then a clean break through the centre of the pitch by Ben Brindley saw Alex Seckham score the first try with only a minute played. Dan Hodson added the extra points.
From the restart Sandal again broke through the Wharfedale defence, and Alex Seckham chipped deep for Andy Evetts to touch down, but the referee decided, from some distance away, that the ball had rolled dead. Sandal kept pressure on for the next 10 minutes, but failure to pass the ball to the supporting player after strong running cost them a couple of chances to add to the scoring, and then some fluid passing and good continuity saw Paul Turton just lose control of the ball when diving full-length into the right corner.
The constant Sandal pressure eventually resulted in a penalty in the 19th minute which Dan Hodson converted to make the score 10-0, and from the restart Alex Seckham ran from 22 to 22 before being tackled by the Wharfedale fullback, but quick rucking saw the ball shipped out for to Scott Seckham to score inside the left corner flag. Hodson missed the conversion.
Sandal remained on the offensive with good support work ensuring fast ball from all breakdowns, and after a sustained attack Tim Wicks finally went over from close range in the 29th minute, with Hodson adding the extras.
Wharfedale finally managed to sustain some possession and territory, but a big clearing kick from Andy Hall was allowed to bounce by the fullback, allowing the chasing Evetts to hack through and gather unchallenged to score, with Hodson missing the kick to leave the half-time score as 27-0.
After the break Wharfedale upped their game and had most of the attacking ball, but too many times their backs chose to cut back inside rather than challenge out wide, and the Sandal back row was always up to the task, snuffing out all attacks around the fringes of rucks and mauls. However in the last ten minutes, after multiple raids on the Sandal line were repelled, the ball was spun wide for the Wharfedale number 8 to exploit an overlap and score in the left corner. The conversion was missed.
The visitors did not have the final word though, as Brindley released replacement Damian Edge in his own half, who set off on a mazy run deep into Wharfedale territory which resulted in Evetts scoring his second try in the left corner. Edge converted from wide with the last kick of the game to make the final score 34-5.
A strong all-round performance from Sandal Cougars, which should enforce the sense of confidence before some more tough fixtures in January, which continues with the visit of Wheatley Hills next Saturday.
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