Huddersfield YMCA 10 Sandal 20
Sandal continued their winning start to the season with a hard fought win at Sallendine Nook where they let slip their early dominance after going two scores up in the first fifteen minutes. In spite of the home side opting to play with the conditions in the first half Sandal dominated from the outset and starved their opponents of the ball. This forward superiority was rewarded on ten minutes when the Sandal pack almost jogged their opponents over the line with hooker Jon Sewell claiming the touchdown. The conversion was missed but shortly afterwards continued recycling of the ball saw the home side defence stretched and spotting the opportunity full back Chris Reakes dummied and cut back inside the defence to cross to the right of the posts for his first senior try. The relatively simple conversion was missed and this continued to be the story of the half for the Milnthorpe Green men who failed to make their territorial advantage tell by missing two further simple penalty kicks at goal whilst YMCA kicked a penalty shortly before the break and then only winger Simon Frewin's pace saved his side when he got back to touch down the ball the ball in goal ahead of his opposite number following a kick through by the home side fly half to leave the score ten points to three to Sandal at the break.
The second half opened with Sandal committing an error from the kick off and when the home side attacked from the ensuing ball their New Zealand fly half chipped through and saw the ball bounce back on its point into the arms of the YMCA no. 8 Walker who dived over with centre Stead converting well to leave the score at ten points each and with all to play for. With the home side now buoyant and continually attacking Sandal were forced to defend for the first time this season with no. 8 Richard Wade leading from the front they held firm but relied twice on superb tackling from flanker Ben Brindley and winger Dave Ell to stop their line being breached again. The final quarter saw more shape to the Sandal game with centre Dan McCormack taking the ball up and ensuring that his side played through the phases and maintained possession. The pressure finally told with YMCA conceding a penalty which Sandal fly half Tom Smith converted to give his side the lead with ten minutes remaining. Good hands then saw Sandal breach the home line on two occasions only for the referee to disallow the score for a forward pass. YMCA continued to fight but were now chasing the game and when they attempted to switch play on the half way line with seconds remaining a crunching tackle by hooker Jon Sewell on the home fly half saw the ball dislodged and fall into Sandal fly half Tom Smith's hands who ran clear from fifty metres to cross under the posts and convert himself in the final act of the game to the relief of his team and supporters who can only have been impressed by the efforts of the home side who pushed the Milnthorpe Green men all the way.
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