Sandal RUFC travelled to Huddersfield RFC to contest the final league game of the season only to come away with a 38-8 defeat. Whilst the conditions were perfect on a warm and sunny afternoon Huddersfield proved to be a strong outfit determined to avenge the defeat suffered at Milnthorpe Green in the first game of the season. In addition the home side needed to record a bonus point victory if they were to have any chance of promotion being in second place by two points behind league leaders Scunthorpe at the start of the afternoon.
Sandal started well showing real purpose in their running and after the exchange of penalties the side was awarded a second in front of the posts which Tom Hodson easily converted to give his side a 3-nil lead after four minutes. But it was in the ninth minute that Huddersfield gave vent to their superiority when from a line-out within their own 22 they spun the ball across the field to their speedy elusive right winger who ran 50 metres untouched to score in the corner. The conversion found its target from wide out and the home side had taken a 7-3 lead. The next home side score came seven minutes later when Sandal were attacking but a sloppy pass into touch gave Huddersfield the lineout from where they mounted another attacking move which ended in a try being scored similar to the first wide out in the corner. The conversion was kicked and their lead had been extended to 14-3. Huddersfield continued to apply pressure on their visitors with the help of penalties, the last of which took play well into the Sandal half and from the resultant line-out Huddersfield formed a maul and crossed in the corner. With the addition of the conversion they had extended their lead to 21-3 after 28 minutes. Whilst the home side were generally in control Sandal put together a fine passing movement in the 38th minute, which gave Tom Hodson the opportunity to score his side’s solitary try wide out and with the conversion missing its target the score had moved onto 21-8. Unfortunately as half time approached Sandal’s defence fell short again to allow Huddersfield to run in their bonus point try to take the score to 26--8 at the break.
The second half started well for Sandal when in the early minutes they took play into their opponents 5m area and from a scrum had an opportunity to press home the advantage but infringed to give Huddersfield the chance to kick their way out of trouble. Then followed an exchange of penalties and field positions but in the 54th minute the Huddersfield backs mounted another telling attacking move to score an unconverted try to increase their lead to 33-8. As hard as the visitors tried they were unable to break through a strong Huddersfield defence but were guilty of giving away too many penalties which did not help their cause. One such penalty in the 71st minute gave the home side the opportunity to out play Sandal’s defence with speed and guile to score their sixth try to take their lead to 38-8 which remained the score at the final whistle.

Written by Howard Newton