Sandbach went down to play off favourites Peterborough Lions, as they hit back from 17 v 0 down to claim an away bonus-point victory. After Mike Egglestone and Elliot Morris crossed in a bright start, their 17-point lead eventually eroded away by an impressive Lions outfit, in an entertaining game. Sandbach will perhaps be disappointed not to come away with something from the game, which their efforts deserved, opting to go for the two bonus points rather than the one with a late penalty opportunity. However, the precision was not quite there at the death and their valiant efforts ultimately went unrewarded.

The Lions made the long journey to South Cheshire full of confidence on the back on a ten-game unbeaten run, but it was Sandbach who started the strongest and took the lead after just two minutes with a Benny Elliot penalty. Sandbach were soon on the scoresheet again as the Lions coughed up possession in the tackle, when opting to run out of defence and Mike Egglestone was on hand to take the gift and rumble in from thirty yards out. Benny Elliot knocked over the conversion and he was soon doing the same again as Elliot Morris intercepted a long Lions pass and scooted threequarters of the length of the field to score under the posts.

Fair play to the Lions though they stuck to their game plan, of looking to use the whole width of the field and eventually the pressure paid off, when after a series of drives, centre White forced his way over. They then scored a fine try following several offloads as they ran out of defence, Tongan Taufu'i Siokivaha reducing the deficit to 17 v 12. Peterborough really began to hit their stride and Sandbach were having to defend strongly as they became starved of the ball and after half an hour it was all square when Lions flanker Gullard burst through to score.

Sandbach stuck to their guns and showed that when they got some ball they too were an attacking threat and from a set play from a scrum, winger Jack Leech was worked into the corner, for them to regain the lead. Benny Elliot knocking over a fine conversion from out wide and had a further chance to extend the lead just before the break but pushed a penalty opportunity wide. So, the half time whistle blew with Sandbach ahead 24 v 19.

Peterborough came out firing at the start of the second half as Sandbach once more found their defence under pressure but were managing to keep the visitors out. Crucially though they lost winger Morris to an ankle injury ten minutes in and the reshuffled defence was caught out, as Lions winger Hill scored from a carbon copy of Sandbach’s previous try. Sandbach then lost hooker Josh Brown also with an ankle injury and the relentless pressure told as Lions took the lead as Hill scored again, to go 24 v 29 up. Sandbach had the chance to reduce the deficit with fifteen minutes to go but Elliot’s penalty opportunity drifted wide and then the Lions scored the crucial try as the pacey Gullard scored his second, against a now tiring defence.

Sandbach kept going to the end and a late flurry saw them battering away at the Lions line, chasing a four try bonus point. They were awarded a kickable penalty with just minutes to go, which would have given them at least a losing bonus point but elected to go for two and kicked to the corner. With regular thrower Brown off, the attempted catch and drive was not accurate enough and the effort rebuffed and unfortunately, the chance of the points their efforts deserved, lost.

Next weekend sees a free weekend for Sandbach with the Cheshire Vase final being rearranged due to Wirral having to reschedule league fixtures following the recent bad weather. Sandbach will hope to repair a few injured bodies in the meantime and look forward to another difficult encounter as Scunthorpe visit in a fortnights time.