Sandal 2xv Vs Wath 2xv

The day was set for a tough tussle away at Wath. The weather as usual this year was strange at best high winds but very warm. The sandal Lads arrived at Wath and were very pleased to be playing on a nice soft playing surface. The first problem of the day came in warm up when Simpson doing a lunge managed to fall over by himself and dislocate his knee. Was this a sign of things to come? Would the Sandal Lads be able to get their heads back in the game after such a traumatic start? Time would be the answer.

The coin toss was lost again by Captain Knowles again with Wath deciding to kick and to play with the wind in the second half. The first plays straight from kick off were scrappy at best with no one from either side making their mark on the game, until a couple of wild passes from the Sandal lads put them under pressure and Wath were able to fully take advantage of the situation with the first score in the corner.

Was Simpson’s earlier injury playing on the Sandal Lads minds? Wath Received the ball from the kick off and after some strange play decided to try and throw the ball around which turned in to a mistake as Bingle read the play perfectly and was able to pluck the ball from mid-air and proceed to run a further ten meters behind their line the ball was recycled a couple more times before Sandals urge to play quick ball bit them back and the ball was turned over. But this was signs of things to come with some magnificent quick play and vision from Hulme he was able to work the ball out wide to JK who was able to beat his man and take the ball over in the corner.

Due to the weather conditions the play was scrappy but one of the best things to see was a Sandal 2xv scrum being very dominant all game this was led by the front three of BBW (Bingle, Booth, Wickes) the scrums were imperious all game and were only let down by some miss communication at the back of the scrum.

As the game wore on Wath struggled to contend with Sandals superior backs and the dominant running of Brown and Brindley this resulted in Wath having two players sin binned and then one of those players being red carded and their coach for back chat. This only made the Wath side more determined to get back in the game and this was helped when the Sandal management made the decision to sub Carter Stead on the half time mark to give him a rest after his tireless and complete effort around the ruck and tackles.

Wath rose to the challenge in the second half despite their pore discipline and reckless tackles were fighting till the end and if they had not had so many players called up to their first team, might of given the sandal lads more of a scare. But with a solid defence and powerful scrum the Sandal lads were able to dominate their opposition.

Special mention to Knowles who got our vote for man of the match who put in a complete performance for the full 80 and lead from the front with 2 tries and countless more tackles.
Final score Sandal 38 – 15 Wath
Next week Cleckheaton 2xv at home and a completely different challenge.