National Two North: Sedgley go clear at the top

Sedgley Park move clear at the top, Leicester Lions and Sandal continue to shock this division and there were impressive debut wins in National Two North for South Leicester and Sale. Elsewhere, Otley ended their losing streak while Macclesfield and Caldy were both victorious.

Here is a round-up of all the action from Week Three in National Two North.

Sedgley Park 36-29 Tynedale

Sedgley Parked are now two points clear of the rest of the pack at the top of National Two North after a hard fought victory over Tynedale.

The match really was a game of two halves.  Sedgley were dominant in the opening 40 while, Tynedale showed great resilience and determination in the second period to secure two bonus points.

It was first blood to the visitors as Ashley Smith kicked three points after a sustained spell of pressure from Tynedale.

This seemed to be a wake-up call for Sedge who began an outstanding 35 minutes as tries from Jamie Harrison, two from Jonny Matthews and one from Andrew Riley gave the hosts a 24-3 lead. Matthew Ouston crossed for the away side just before half-time, but Sedge were in complete control.

It looked the like the second half would go the same way as Shaun Manley dotted down just after the restart, but Tynedale had other ideas.

James Clark and Dominic Connolly brought Tyne within 11 points of The Tigers with still a quarter of the game to go, but Riley’s second seemed to put victory out of their reach.

But, Tynedale weren’t giving up and a try four minutes from time via Thomas McCullough gave the side from the North-East two well-earned bonus points.

Harrogate 23-26 Sandal

I think if you offered Sandal 13 points from their first three matches at the start of this season; they would’ve bit your hand off. They continue to stun this league with their latest victory over Harrogate, after being promoted as National Three North play-off winners last season.

It came down to a last minute drop goal from Sandal’s Mark Pease to clinch victory for the visitors in game where the pendulum swung throughout the second half.

Sandal led 8-17 at the break thanks to well worked tries from Joe Bedford and Elliot Munnelly with ‘Gates’ points coming from the book of Lewis Minikin and an unconverted try from Samuel Bottomley.

The home side – whose performances continue to improve each week – turned the game around in six second half minutes thanks to two quick fire tries. Minkin and Pease exchanged penalties before the scores from William Enslin and Minkin himself gave Harrogate a 23-20 lead on 60 mintues.

Pease struck over a penalty with eight minutes remaining to level proceedings and when Cameron Leadley was yellow-carded for a high tackle, the onus was on the visitors to clinch victory.  Their numerical advantage allowed them to keep the pressure on Harrogate and eventually a drop-goal chance presented itself for Pease, who made no mistake to make it three wins from three for Sandal.

Leicester Lions 34-12 Luctonians

After finishing 13^th last season, many would’ve argued that Leicester Lions could be in for another tough campaign, but like Sandal, they are upsetting the applecart by putting in some impressive and business like displays.

In their latest triumph, they saw off the Luctonians in a game which saw seven yellow cards produced.

The first half was all about the boot of William Bishop who kicked 12 points for the Lions. Both sides were reduced to 14 men during the first 40 but a try from Dale Garner on the stroke of half-time put the Lucts right back into this contest.

Four minutes into the second period, Bradley Talbot crossed to reduce the deficit to two points, but ill-discipline cost the away side this game.

Daniel Smith, Geraint Langdon and Garner were all shown yellow cards in the space of nine minutes and Leicester punished them thanks to another three points from Bishop, a Penalty Try and score from Mark Byrom.

Byrom was then sin-binned five minutes later but a fourth yellow-card of the second half shown to the Luctonians  - this time Talbot was the culprit – saw William Roach touch down the Lions’ final points of the afternoon.

Macclesfield 31-3 Preston Grasshoppers

Macclesfield showed their National One class in this win over Preston Grasshoppers who have struggled to get going this season.

The Blues, who got their National Two North campaign up and running last week with a win at Priory Park against Caldy, made it two wins from two on home soil.

They opened the scoring through an Elliot Mills try from the scrum, but the Hoppers responded thanks to a penalty from Sean Taylor.

The Macclesfield pack was at the heart of the second and final try of the half as a driving-maul set the platform for Ryan Parkinson to touch down and give the hosts a 12-3 lead at the interval.

The second half was all about the home side as Preston just couldn’t get a foothold in the game. A further try from Jordan Brooks put them firmly in control, but when Marshall Gadd was sin-binned, Preston had their best spell of the game.

However, the Blues ‘ defence held strong and tries from Matthew O’Regan and David Markwick sealed the bonus point win as Macc go fourth in the table.

Chester 18-33 South Leicester

Fifth placed Chester suffered their first defeat of the 2015/16 season as they were beaten by South Leicester - who claimed their maiden victory since promotion.

The visitors had this match wrapped up at half-time as they were truly dominant in all areas of the game.

South sealed their four try bonus point in just over half an hour as scores from William Cave, Stuart Bale, William Sutton and Calum Gunn saw the away side race into a 3-30 lead. Ricci Alley added two penalties for South with Chester’s only points coming from the boot of Rhys Hayes.

The home side were handed a small lifeline just before half-time when James Preston crossed for an unconverted try, but the gap was extended back to 25 points when Alley nudged over his third penalty of the day after the break.

John Ketland went over for Chester on the hour and even when William Ward and Bale were sin-binned, the home side still couldn’t find a way back into this encounter.  Thomas Gregory’s try two minutes from time was merely a consolation on what was a disappointing afternoon for Chester, but a joyous one for South Leicester.

Stourbridge 18-24 Caldy

Caldy bounced back from a defeat to Macclesfield, with a hard earned victory away at Stourbridge.

Christopher Scott kicked all 18 points for the home side, but it wasn’t enough as a brace from Nicolas Royle and a try from Nyle Davidson were the difference in this win for Caldy. Jack Levin also slotted over a penalty in the first half for the Wirral side.

Caldy’s Derek Sailsbury and John Collister were both sin-binned when the score was at 18-24, but Stour just couldn’t find a way to cross the whitewash on a frustrating afternoon for the hosts.

Huddersfield 8-26 Otley

Otley ended a run of just one win in 11 National Two North matches with victory away at Huddersfield. ‘Field have made Lockwood Park a fortress of late, so this was a notable win for the men from Cross Green.

It was all about one man for Otley as Gareth Newman scored a hat-trick to help seal their first win of the season.

Newman opened the scoring for Otley, before they were pegged back by a penalty and a try both scored by Huddersfield’s Chris Bell. A converted penalty try for Otley was the final play of the first-half and saw the away side lead 8-12.

Newman then crossed for his second try of the day immediately after the restart and went on to secure the bonus point in the last minute as he completed his hat-trick.

Sale FC 27-18 Broadstreet

Sale FC got their first win in National Two North as they beat bottom side Broadstreet at Heywood Road.

‘Street gained the early lead thanks to two penalties from Dan Richards, but tries from Tom Alies and Ben Gledhill gave Sale a 12-6 lead at the break.

Winger Ciaran Conolly extended the home sides advantage as he was able to touch down after great handling from Chris Mayor and Jack Moorhouse.

Liam McGovern then added a penalty for Sale which made it 22-6 but that lead lasted just two minutes as Liam Munro collected a kick by Sale and galloped up the pitch for Broadstreet’s second try.

The hosts responded as Adam Aigbokhae scored a well worked try for a 27-11 lead and doing so, secured the bonus point for Sale and despite Luke Hibberd’s try for ‘Street 13 minutes from time, Sale saw the game out to clinch their first victory.