Sandbach Pay the Penalty

Sandbach paid the penalty, quite literally, as they conceded a whopping twenty-five penalties during the game, to understandably come out on the wrong side of the result. With ten on average in most games being the number generally yielded, the twenty-five given away is way more than normal and even significantly outdoes Sandbach’s notorious match away at Mansfield in 2012, when they gave away nineteen in the game. It was not as though they were all for the same offence, with a mixture of breakdown penalties, offside and the new tackle height all earning the whistle of referee Harry Bailey. However as in any sport and particularly in a technical game like rugby, players need to comprehend the decisions and adapt their play to suit, which Sandbach clearly did not. Given the situation Kendal not surprisingly had the lion’s share of the ball and Sandbach can take pride in how they defended for the most part, but with an inevitable two yellow cards and yet more injuries during the game also disrupting them, it was obvious that eventually this would take its toll.

Kendal kicked off down the slope and Sandbach where penalised right from the off for obstruction and quickly found themselves on the defence. They held out well from kicks to the corner and catch and drives, so eventually Kendal decided to take the points, when Sandbach were adjudged offside, Stephens kicking a penalty ten minutes in. Sandbach then lost Ali Burton with a hamstring injury, the flanker already playing back in his old position of centre, due to a multitude of injuries already sustained by the Bach to their back line. Fellow wing forward James Finucane moving to the three-quarter line to cover him. Sandbach did start to get some rhythm and scored the first try, as they worked an edge, and full back Jack Williams went in at the corner for a 5 v 3 lead after twenty minutes.

The penalties were really starting to mount up after that and eventually all the territory and pressure told, as Kendal’s centre Atkinson went over out wide, with Sandbach’s defence drawn in, as they countered a driving maul. Sandbach then lost Finucane who took a blow to the head and with only forwards on the bench, it was something of a reshuffle with back row Ed Randall now in the backs, but the home side held out to go in narrowly down 5 v 8 at the break.

No doubt having conceded twelve penalties in the first half, Sandbach will have discussed the issue during the interval, but it clearly had no effect, giving another away straight after the restart for not releasing and then being marched back a further twenty metres, for showing their exasperation with the verdict. Kendal took advantage to work winger Noyo in at the corner, but Sandbach responded quickly after taking advantage of a penalty of their own, as scrum half Laurie Essenhigh took a quick tap and scooted over.

By now though Sandbach had big second row Callum Oakden in the bin for a high tackle and Kendal took advantage of the extra numbers to grab their third try in his absence through full back Karelse, which Stephens converted. Still, Sandbach battled and scored their third as skipper Ross Sutherland drove over from a catch and drive, Jack Williams converting to bring the score to 17 v 20 with twenty to go. Unfortunately that was as good as it got and the problem with the penalty count persisted, Kendal winger Shorrock exposing Sandbach’s lack of pace in their patched up back division and Noyo adding his second. Sandbach’s Myles Hall saw yellow for playing the ball on the floor just before the end, but there was to be no further scores.

So a disappointing result and a frustrating game for Sandbach, who will certainly need to analyse the match and be a little bit street smarter, which the opposition certainly were. The injury list continues to mount which will be a concern, but they can take some heart from their stubborn defence in difficult circumstances. Next weekend's game is already looking critical as they make the long trip up to Penrith, with both teams without a win so far, and Sandbach will be hoping that they can catch a break, which seems to be alluding them at the moment.