Sandal RUFC played their last game of the season against Syston RFC from Leicester in the first round of the Papa Johns - Regional 1 Championship but fell to a 36-24 defeat in a game of two halves. The visitors won the first half 33-nil but Sandal re-grouped after half time and won the second by 24-3 with the side’s player of the game being Will Henshall who scored all four tries. It was always accepted that to overcome Syston would prove to be difficult since they are this season’s Regional 1 Midlands Champions but on reflection the home side should take solace from the fact that the forwards proved to have the edge on their opponents throughout.
Playing with the slope in the first half Syston soon made their intentions clear with their early offensive play but Sandal’s defence was good until the tenth minute when the visitors posted their first converted try to take a 7-nil lead. Ten minutes later Syston took play into the Sandal 22 with the help of a penalty and from the ensuing line-out formed a rolling maul to cross in the bottom corner to increase their lead to 12-nil. From the resumption Syston scored their third try after 22 minutes and with the conversion finding its target their lead had moved to 19-nil. By now Sandal were having difficulty in defence with the result that their opponents scored two further tries in the 29th and 34th minute of which the second was converted to take an almost unassailable lead of 33-nil into the interval after totally controlling the first half.
From the start of the second half, now with the advantage of the slope, Sandal went on the offensive and from a scrum well within the Syston 22 in the second Sam Millard made a break before handing on to Will Henshall who scored near the posts and with Hali Joannou adding the extras the side’s deficit had been reduced to 33-7. From the re-start Sandal continued to put their opponents under pressure with the result that two minutes later the forwards set up a maul from a line-out enabling Will Henshall to score an unconverted try in the corner to take the score to 33-12. Syston then took play into the Sandal half attempting to cross with several pick and go exchanges but the home side’s defence remained solid with all attacking moves being repelled. But in the 57th minute Sandal infringed in their own half to give Syston the opportunity to add three points to their score with a penalty. Undeterred minutes later Sandal moved into their opposition’s territory with a penalty to touch and from the line out set up a maul to give Will Henshall the opportunity to cross for the third time. The conversion was missed but Syston’s lead had been reduced to 36-17. From Sandal’s point of view the game had now moved from a possible heavy defeat to one of winning anticipation by the employment of much improved defensive play from that of the first half. Then followed a 15 minute exchange of penalties and field positions without either side adding to their score. But as full time approached Sandal took play into the Syston half from where Will Henshall showed his class to score his fourth try and with Hali Joannou adding the conversion the score moved to 36-24. Unfortunately, with Sandal now showing real determination to add points to their score the time ran out leaving Syston with a 36-24 winning score and a place in the 2nd round of the cup competition. However, in the final analysis the Sandal side should take comfort from having the tenacity to provide an interesting game with a much improved second half performance in which captain Will Henshall led from the front.
Written by Howard Newton