Sandal RUFC had no difficulty in overcoming Selby RUFC at home by producing a creditable 48-15 victory in Regional 1 North East. However, Selby during their first visit to Milnthorpe Green for some 17 years made a spirited attempt to overcome a Sandal side positioned nine league places above their visitors. Overall it proved to be a creditable home side victory in a game, which lacked a certain amount of entertainment value compared to other recent contests.
Playing with the slope Sandal in the opening minutes were put under pressure in their own half by their determined visitors to the point that in the seventh minute Selby posted their first points with a converted penalty. Sandal responded in a positive manner by taking play into the Selby half from where a move across field resulted in Luke Adams crossing in the corner and whilst the conversion was missed the home side had taken a 5-3 lead after eleven minutes. Several minutes later Sandal added to their score with a successful Tom Hodson penalty. Selby gave of their best again moving into Sandal’s territory but sloppy mistakes near the try-line cost them dearly which gave their opposition the opportunity to counter attack back into the Selby half. This position soon gave Jake Adams the chance to make a telling break before handing on to Luke Adams who touched down under the posts for his second try and with Tom Hodson adding the extras Sandal had taken their lead to 15-3 in the 23rd minute. Then followed a fifteen minute lull in scoring chances with both sides conceding penalties and resultant field positions but as half time approached Declan Thompson made a try scoring break from mid-field before giving an opportunity to Cam Bainbridge to cross under the posts. Tom Hodson converted to take Sandal’s lead to 22-3 at the break.
With this interval lead all Sandal needed to do in the following 40 minutes was to play it safe, defend positively and points would accrue. But in reality it was Selby who scored in the second minute of the half with a well-practiced move which involved a kick to the corner from mid-field and with the ball finding the winger in space he made no mistake in scoring an unconverted try in the corner to reduce the deficit to 22-8. From the resumption Sandal attacked and from an excellent build up along the back line the ball found an unmarked Austen Thompson on the wing who easily touched down for his side’s bonus point try in a position which gave Tom Hodson a simple conversion attempt to take his side’s lead to 29-8. By now the home side was well in control such that in the 52nd minute following scrappy play by Selby in their own 22 Sandal was given the opportunity to move the ball across field to Jake Adams who scored in the corner and with the conversion missing its target Sandal’s lead had moved to 34-8. Whilst this score did not favour the visitors their determination to compete eventually paid off with a converted try on three-quarter time to give them hope with the score standing at 34-15. The next score came after Sandal had taken play into the Selby 22 in the 73rd minute when Declan Thompson crashed over following several forward pick and go exchanges had failed. Tom Hodson converted to give his side a certain 41-15 winning score. But then with only five minutes left Sandal produced the best try of the game when with four minutes left on the clock Luke Adams made a break up the touch line before kicking a head into the Selby 22 enabling Cam Allen, now playing on the wing, to give chase before tapping the ball over the line and being quick enough to touch down before the ball went out of play over the dead ball line. Tom Hodson made sure with the conversion. But in the dying minutes Selby continued to attack the Sandal line in a valiant attempt to score a final consolation try but Sandal’s defence held good such that at the final whistle Sandal had posted a 48-15 victory, their sixth of the season with a try bonus point to retain their second league placing.

Written by Howard Newton