Sandbach RUFC 1XV Match Report
Sandbach 39 : 15 Bournville
Six tries and a brace each for Sandbach trio.
Sandbach played their last home game of the season on a blustery day at Bradwall Road. Their bonus point win saw the home team jump two places in the league to 7th position. Another win at bottom side Derby this weekend would confirm that position.
Playing into the wind in the first half Sandbach found it difficult to convert their early scoring opportunities and were under a lot of pressure for the first 20 minutes. Playing a very open game and running the ball from anywhere on the pitch Sandbach gradually began to gain the ascendancy as the Bournville forwards slipped off the pace. Eventually the visitors were forced to concede a penalty kick just outside their 22 metre line. Feinting a kick to touch, Benny Elliot hit the ball across to the far side of the pitch where winger Richard Murray timed his run and jump to perfection for a clean catch and a simple jog over the try line. Into the wind and from the touch line, Elliott missed the conversion.
Benny kicks to Muzza for Try No 1
Bournville are a resilient team however and within 5 minutes, that man Rob Eatough had made a break through the centre of the Sandbach defence and after three executed phases the Bournville right winger scored an excellent try in the corner. Again the kick was unconverted. Within 3 minutes however Sandbach crossed the try line again as Will Cargill cleverly confused the Bournville defence with a crossfield run and slipped the ball to Elliot. Elliot’s well timed run split the defence and he scored unopposed under the posts. Elliot converted his own try.
The last 5 minutes of the half played out uneventfully apart from a final penalty goal for Elliot on the whistle.
Half Time Sandbach 15: 5 Bournville
After the break Sandbach came out in determined mood. With the wind at their backs, confidence blossomed as over the opening 12 minutes they scored 3 unanswered tries to put the game beyond the visitors. The first of the trio was scored by Murray as he raced through and picked up a delightful chip from scrum-half Mark Bird. The second was scored by Elliot who was ‘put through’ by clever pass from youngster Jonny Lea.
Perhaps the best try of the three was scored after loose head prop Matt Beesley crashed through a maul and sprinted 30 yards down the wing and with some text book skills drew the full back before passing to Lea to score the simplest of tries. Elliot converted 2 of the 3 scores.
Again though Bournville wouldn’t lie down as another big break by Eatough was recycled well for the visitors scrum-half to score in the corner. In a rare occurrence substitute George Oakey charged down the conversion attempt.
As the final 15 minutes played out both teams scored one more try each including the second for Lea.
Overall a fantastic performance and a fitting end to the final home game in their first season in the National League. Apart from Man of the Match Richard Murray, special mention must go to Sandbach back rowers Tom Austin and Jack Seddon, both tackled like men possessed and worked so hard for the team throughout the game.
See photos on http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/sandbach/photos/sandbach-v-bournville-april-20-374538.html