Vicki sends Sandal Warriors on way to convincing win

They were soon ahead through Vicki Megretton with Laura Ackroyd converting. A second try followed as full-back Ackroyd went on a 40-yard dash to the line.

Molly Palmer next scored after a flurry of quick pick and goes and Ackroyd’s goal made it 19-0.

A quick tap brought a fourth try with exquisite hands getting the ball out to Saima Hussain who then ran round the outside of the last Wetherby defender to dot down out on the wide left hand side of the pitch. With no conversion it was 24-0 at half-time.

Sandal were reduced to 14 players after the break with Ackroyd yellow carded for a high tackle, but they did not concede with some strong tackling led by Holly Waddington and Marna van der Merwe.

Wetherby then had a player sin-binned for a high tackle and the Warriors scored again as Ella Greensmith put the after burners on .

Once more from the restart Sandal retained possession and with some tidy ball handling skills and got the ball out to the left where Greensmith took a catch behind her head and managed to miraculously maintain control of the ball while sidestepping the Wetherby defence to storm through the middle to score her second try under the posts. Megretton stepped up and slotted the conversion to make it 36-0.

With both sides now back up to the full 15 players, Wetherby regained the ball and began to put some extended pressure on the Sandal defensive line, causing Sandal to concede penalties and territory, which saw the hosts get over the try line, only to be pushed back more than once by a resolute and stoic defensive effort.

The home team was awarded a penalty on the five-metre line and passed their ball to their towering number eight, who barged her way through for a try Wetherby deserved for their effots.

Sandal restarted the game with a good defensive line push to keep Wetherby contained in their half of the field. They did manage to regain possession, but were shepherded into touch.

From the Wetherby line-out, however, Sandal ran the ball out wide to their right flank and then began to move the ball back again to the left, with Greensmith eventually straightening the line and running in to score her hat-trick try under the posts. The conversion was good from Megretton.

By now, both sets of players were starting to feel the intensity of the game and there were more injury stoppages, one such stoppage hindered the Sandal attack as they were pushing hard on the right flank but the referee blew up to deal with the Wetherby head injury.

Play resumed with a Sandal scrum where they had previously stopped play, and they then progressed into the 22, forcing a couple of penalties. A quick tap saw Hannah Dickinson pick the ball and crash over for her first try of the game.

Receiving the ball again from the restart Sandal put together some crisp passes and broke once again down the right wing, with Waddington breaking free and passing to Tahnee Holmes in support. Unfortunately the final offload to Courtney Evans was deemed as forward so play was brought back for a Wetherby scrum just outside their five-metre line.

Wetherby decided to play safe and kicked clear within their 22, Sandal picked up the ball on half-way line and with ball in hand, Ackroyd broke through the gain line, to pass out to Hussain, in support, who outpaced the defence on the outside to score.

Slick handling once again saw the ball passed to Megretton who straightened the line, passed to Evans who then offloaded to Abi Ledger, who glided through the tired, flailing defensive line to score under the posts. The kick was a much easier one for Megretton to add the extra two points and complete the scoring.

Evans was named back of the match, Greensmith best forward and Megretton opposition player of the match.

Sandal Warriors : Naomi Gelder, Molly Palmer, Joanne Clark, Hannah Dickinson, Megan Baldwin, Holly Waddington, Kelly Wood, Abbie Dickinson, Tahnee Holmes, Imy Coxon, Vicki Megretton, Saima Hussain, Courtney Evans, Laura Ackroyd, Victoria East, Abi Ledger, Marna Van Der Merwe, Ella Greensmith