Sandal RUFC seal improved fifth place finish with bonus point win at Doncaster Phoenix

The Milnthorpe Green men never looked like losing as they avenged a 34-26 defeat suffered in the first game of the season, writes Howard Newton.

Sandal soon made their intentions clear as they went on the attack from the off and were ahead after seven minutes when the back line made ground with a move that gave Danny Grainger the chance to touch down in the corner.

Only a further five minutes elapsed before the visitors added to their tally with a Joey Allott try after the side had put together several good passes. Jake Adams added the extras to make it 12-0.

A period of Doncaster pressure, helped by two penalties to touch, followed and from a line-out on the five-metre line a pushover try was scored in the 22nd minute.

Sandal hit back as Joey Allott’s 40-metre break was backed up by hooker Eddie Pitchford who scored his first try of the season.

It stayed 17-5 to half-time despite a yellow card for a Doncaster player.

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Two minutes after the resumption Jake Adams kicked a penalty to nudge the visitors further ahead.

As this score was being made the weather turned nasty and prolonged heavy rain continued throughout the remainder of the game which seriously affected the quality of the rugby played by both sides until the final whistle.

But with 57 minutes played Phoenix kicked ahead and Jake Adams collected on his own 22 before making a stunning break then kicking ahead just 20 metres from the line.

Doncaster knocked on to give Sandal the scrum from which Scott McGregor went for the line before handing on to James Ellar who coasted in for his side’s bonus point try. Jake Adams converted to take the score to 27-5.

As the playing conditions worsened with water pooling on the pitch both sides found it difficult to make any serious headway. As the game slowly ground to a halt Sandal failed to convert a penalty but in the end the side was happy with a well deserved 27-5 victory and an improved fifth position in the league.

Sandal host Scunthorpe in their last league game this Saturday.