By our special correspondent, Tahnee Holmes

The Senior Beasts came away from their road trip to Coventry with a high quality 34-22 victory over Barkers Butts.

With just 14 players to the Midlands team’s 22, Sandal won the day by virtue of their outstanding teamwork and total dedication to a cause they never lost sight off.

Even without substitutes, the Beasts still had enough energy to finish the stronger as they held off a late fightback by Barkers to clinch the win with a late try by Ayva Smith.

The undoubted star of a fantastic team effort was winger Ella Greensmith, a player the home side had no answer to each time her hard-working team-mates moved the ball in her direction.

Sandal found themselves on the back foot from the outset and only dogged defence by captain Alana Bainbridge and ‘Miss Perpetual Motion’ Emily Gallivan kept Barkers at bay.

Ayva also snuffed out a promising raid with a crunching tackle that took her opponent into touch before Ella eased the pressure by running the ball to halfway.

Barkers hit straight back to pile forward in numbers but when Ella took the ball five metres from her own line there was no stopping her as she sped clear to score the opening try, converted by Evie Addy.

More home pressure seemed certain to bring them a try only for Naomi Gelder and Rachael Silverwood to stand tall close to their own line.

A telling break by Rachael then swung the momentum back in Sandal’s favour, allowing Naomh Singleton to take the ball up and pop out a peach of a pass to Ella, who ripped through from halfway to grab a try, again converted by Evie.

Barkers Butts are one of their region’s strongest teams and they showed what they are made of by closing the gap to 14-12 before the interval with two tries, both forged on the efforts of their no-nonsense pack.

Sandal edged further ahead early in the second half with Ella’s hat-trick score, which owed much to an elusive run by Rachael who made good ground and slipped out a try-making pass as she was hauled down short of the line.

Evie could not convert but found the target following the try of the match, inevitably scored by Ella who capitalised on good play from the kick-off. The restart was taken on the full by full-back Maisie Palmer who returned the ball into contact for Evie to move it wide to the left, where Ella left four would-be tacklers trailing in her wake.

Barkers rallied to close the gap to just four points with two tries and a conversion, and would have snatched the lead but for a brilliant tackle by Maisie.

Sally Hobson also produced an important tackle on the Barkers Number 8 before Sandal turned defence into attack with stunning effect.

A breathless 30-metre run by Rachael took Sandal close to the Barkers line to set up a scrum, allowing Ayva to steal in from its base for an unconverted try.

A late penalty by Evie set the seal on a courageous victory by a group of girls who continue to set high standards.