Sandal 10 Wheatley Hills 0
Sandal moved into the second round of the Yorkshire Shield but not without having to work hard for the win. This match saw the three Norbury brothers form the front row with both the Smith and Whittingham brothers also on the field in an unprecented occurence for Sandal and probably also at this level of rugby. The wet and almost gale force wind conditions were not conducive to open rugby but Sandal still managed to score two first half tries; the first through centre Danny Mitchell who latched onto a poor clearance kick from the Wheatley full back to stroll over from fifteen metres out. Then on twenty minutes winger Simon Frewin seized on an attacking kick in his twenty two, went round his opposite number and scorched past the cover before standing up the full back and diving over in the corner to cross superbly from 80 metres to leave his side ten points up at half time.
The second half saw the rain come down and any chance of free-flowing rugby disappear. Wheatley had an early opportunity to put points on the board but the penalty kick drifted wide and they then spent the rest of the match in their own half as Sandal upped their game and applied the pressure. The Milnthorpe Green men were unable to break down the committed and resolute visiting defence but this victory meant a home tie against Yorkshire Two side Pocklington in the next round and retaining their unbeaten record as they move into the New Year.
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