Sandal RUFC started well against Harrogate RFC in Regional 1 North East but fell apart in the game’s third quarter but recovered somewhat towards the end to finish with a 31-42 defeat and a try bonus point. Looking at the game in the round the home side still, without several key players, fought hard against a side holding second place in the league and who are in the race to return to National 2 North next season.
Playing with the slope Sandal had to withstand early attacking play from their opposition but after 10 minutes a telling break down field gave the home side a field position close to Harrogate’s 5 metre line. From a resultant scrum Sandal made a positive move across field where Jacob Glover was on hand to score his 1st XV maiden try in the corner. Tom Hodson converted from the touch-line to give his side a 7-nil lead. Unfortunately, it only took Harrogate three minutes to respond when their left winger outpaced the home side defence to cross in the corner and with the conversion finding its target the score was level at 7-7. From the resumption Harrogate continued to attack Sandal’s line for ten minutes during which the home side conceded five penalties but managed to defend all Harrogate’s attempts to score. Then in the 29th minute Declan Thompson made a break and with a kick ahead play was taken well into Harrogate’s territory, where Sandal remained as the game moved towards half time. Now in injury time the home side was awarded a penalty to touch and from the ensuing line-out play was taken across field to find Harry Jukes who made ground before gathering his own kick ahead to touch down in the corner and with the conversion being missed Sandal were back in front with a 12-7 lead at the break.
As the second half resumed there was hope around the ground that Sandal may continue with their first half success and register a victory, possibly against the odds. Regrettably that desire was not to be because during the first 19 minutes of the half the side self-destructed, when they conceded five converted tries. Following the interval Harrogate attacked and from a position in Sandal’s 22 they were awarded a penalty try to take a 14-12 lead. The Sandal heads went down and control was lost which allowed Harrogate to post four further converted tries after 45,52,57 and 59 minutes to give them an unassailable 42-12 lead. But Sandal regrouped in the last quarter which started with a penalty to touch into the top corner, followed by several pick and go exchanges resulting in Declan Thompson crashing over near the posts after 63minutes and with Tom Hodson’s conversion the visitors lead had been cut 42-19. Sandal continued in a positive mood until in the 71st minute when Harry Jukes was given possession on the wing. He kicked ahead to the corner and outpaced the defence to score his side’s bonus point try. The conversion was missed but the home side had taken the score to 42-24. Whilst a Sandal victory was unlikely as full time approached the players wished to prove that all was not lost and so to this end all stops were pulled out with the result that in stoppage time Will Forrest coasted over the line to score a fifth try, which Tom Hodson converted from wide out to cut the deficit even further but Harrogate had posted a deserved 42-31 victory. Sandal, however, deserved some credit in the final analysis because of their will and determination to overcome adversity shown by their play in the latter part of the game.

Written by Howard Newton