Sandal 51 Blaydon 5

🔴⚫️ Match Report 🔴⚫️

Saturday 29th February 2020

SANDAL 51 – 5 BLAYDON

Throughout the home side were dominant with their abrasive pack on top and consequently their three quarters finished off in style. By half time the game was won.

The game began on a bright if somewhat windy day with the home side not fielding Blaydon’s kick off and for the first 7 minutes Blaydon probed but a determined home defence kept them at bay. The home side’s first meaningful attack on the clubhouse side saw Blaydon penned in the corner and despite winning the line out, indecision allowed No. 8 Declan Thompson to brush off several would be tacklers to open the scoring and Greg Wood slotted the first of his 3 conversions.

A period of mid field play saw the scoreline unchanged until the 21st minute when James Eller finished off a mid field break and the home side then began to dominate with 2 further tries following in quick succession. However, just before the interval, Blaydon had a short spell of enterprising play and the forwards drove over Alex Charlton to reduce the arrears. Not for long however, as Joe Allott burst through to give a scoreline of 22 – 5 at the break.

After the interval the pattern of play was the same with the home forwards continually providing good ball for their three quarters and by astute use of the elements, they always had territorial advantage. Scrum half Joe Bedford a late replacement from his coaching duties, finished off a forward drive followed shortly after by scrum half Tom Baxter. Sandal then lost direction and Blaydon had their best period of the game handling errors saw them continually coughing up possession and the home team weathered the storm and in the final minute a good forward drive saw another try with Wood adding the conversion.

Sandal now move up into third place behind ourselves who are still top and Harrogate second

Next week we are at home to second bottom Morpeth – kick off 3.00.p.m. and we need to get back to winning ways.

JIM HUXLEY