Sandal RUFC enjoy nine-try romp in impressive win over Middlesbrough

The home side proved to be the stronger with a nine-try romp to post an best of the season 59-26 victory, writes Howard Newton.

The performance confirmed that the side’s skills and confidence are improving week by week. As a whole the side impressed in attack with Mac Walsh and Harry Jukes registering two tries each to cap some excellent attacking rugby.

Playing with the slope, Sandal opened their account after only two minutes when the visitors kicked ahead, Tom Hodson gathered and made ground from where the ball was recycled to Declan Thompson on half-way. He broke free before handing on to Walsh who touched down under the posts. Tom Hodson converted.

With 15 minutes on the clock Sandal struck again with a steady build up taking play into Middlesbrough’s 22 from where Declan Thompson was on hand to take a deft slip pass from George Hulme to cross in the corner for an unconverted try, taking the score to 12-0.

Middlesbrough responded quickly and took play into the home side’s 22, with the help of a penalty, before crossing for a converted try under the posts to close the gap to five points.

From the resumption Sandal took play into the visitors’ territory, though, and from a scrum in their 22 they mounted an attack to give Callum Burden the opportunity to cross under the posts, giving Hodson an easy conversion.

Middlesbrough immediately attacked the Sandal line with a kick ahead, but failed to ground the ball over the line from where Archie Milner gathered and took play into the visitors’ half. Further attacking play down field enabled Liam Powell to score his side’s bonus point try and with a Hodson conversion Sandal’s lead moved out to 26-7 with 10 minutes left in the half.

The remainder of the half was played out without a further score and the hosts were happy to take a sizeable advantage into the interval.

The second half started badly for them, however, as within two minutes Middlesbrough had found a way through some sloppy defence to post a converted try.

Undaunted, Sandal continued to show a penetrative edge, which was put to good use a minute later when from a kick ahead Walsh gathered and broke free before handing on to Cam Bainbridge who made no mistake in touching down. Hodson added another conversion.

Then followed a five-minute period of play which secured a Sandal victory when Walsh broke free to touch down and soon after Will Henshall did the same.

With both tries being converted by Hodson an unassailable 47-14 lead had been posted.

With the home side well in control Jukes helped himself to a try followed by a second after 66 minutes, one of them being improved.

Although the visitors added a further two tries and a conversion to their score in the last quarter Sandal ran out worthy 59-26 winners with a performance that must auger well for future more competitive encounters in the weeks to come, both home and away.

They take on Old Brodleians at home in the next game in the Yorkshire Cup on Saturday.