Tommy In Seventh Heaven Title Triumph.
Broadstreet Rugby Football Club, needing four points to secure promotion to National League Two, went the whole hog in racking up an emphatic 46 – 14 maximum five pointer title performance at a sun-blessed Sandbach RUFC with two games still to play. Left winger Tommy Harris ran in five tries; two in the first half and three the second; out of ‘Street’s seven at Sandbach’s extensive Bradwall Lane base in taking the National League Three (Midlands) title in style writes Bob Harcourt. Sandbach’s choice of Street’s Man-of-the-Match, scrum half Andy Murray, set the scoreboard ticking eight minutes in with an elusive gallop to the line and prop Ben Dawes bulldozered over from his usual 2 or 3 metres in the second half for his 13th try of the season to total the heavenly seven. Dawesy now stands third in the league’s Top Try Scorer rankings. This was a cracking open game with something for everyone and Sandbach must be applauded for their wholehearted contribution to the contest in running in two worthy tries of their own; not to mention some big-hitting defence in the face of a ramped up ‘Street who maintained a ‘heady’ pace throughout and as one pundit remarked afterwards, “Broadstreet man of the match – why the team, of course”. And so it was, with every player putting in a full shift in striving for a perfect team performance despite the first half loss of two backs - centre Jordan Simpson and fly half Danny Richards – Simpson with a shoulder injury, then kicker and playmaker Richards with a nasty nasal laceration requiring surgery. Playing down the slope and with a strong, swirling wind, ‘Street needed to avoid a slow start and they did not disappoint their travelling support by running in three converted tries and a penalty to lead 24 – 0 at the break. The question! Would that be enough?
Tommy HarrisA good low pass pick up by Tommy Harris after eight minutes pressure in the Sandbach half saw him hand on to lightening quick scrum half Andy Murray who stepped and weaved a path to the try line for the opening score. Richards converted, 0 – 7. Six minutes later ‘Street lost centre Jordan Simpson to injury thereby requiring a backline re-shuffle; Tom Harris moving from the right wing to centre and Jeff Gregson, returning from a month plus long injury, took up the vacated wing spot. On resumption of play full back Corey Venus popped up for two good line breaks and from resulting phase play Sandbach transgressed and Richards boomed over a penalty, 0 – 10 on 22 minutes. From the kick off, good ball retention by ‘Street forwards allowed quick ball for Murray to pop the ball to captain Beau Carney; who led admirably from the front where he was involved in everything; and he handed on to centre Will Owen who snaked his way into a half break. Fellow centre convert Tom Harris was on hand to draw a defender before putting his namesake Tommy Harris in for his first try. Richards again landed a fine conversion from wide, 0 – 17 and still 15 minutes to go before the break. The restart saw good progress being made by Ben Dawes, Beau Carney and fellow forwards Andy Solomon, Matthew Solomon – both once again majestic in the lineout and grafters the loose - together with hooker Stewart (Bull’s-eye) Pearl and tight-head Harry Pendleton they forced a five metre Sandbach scrum. Although the home side worked a good exit, a turnover from the resulting play saw Murray feed the ball out for Richards, Gregson and Venus to make progress; setting up Tommy Harris to zip over for his second touchdown, Richards converted for 0 – 24 before being replaced by flanker Chris Zutic after sustaining a nasty looking facial injury. Not for the first time this season versatile back row Carney slotted in at centre; talented full back Venus went to fly half and Zutic took the blind-side berth as grafter Gareth Turner moved to Number eight. After a lengthy stoppage and still a good ten minutes to half time remaining, much disrupted ‘Street were put under some pressure by sustained Sandbach team-play, but the visitors defence held firm until the break. Half Time: 0 – 24.
The Cheshire hosts now had the slope and wind in their favour as they kicked off deep into ‘Street territory. Some appropriate pick and go and pick and pass saw ‘Street hit half way but, losing possession through a knock on, it looked like a return to their own 22 was inevitable, however, Sandbach’s kick failed to make touch and the two Harrises ran the ball back into opposition territory before the ball was ‘fortuitously plucked’ out of a ruck by a home player, however, before the dreaded long kick could follow, prop Ben Dawes won the ball back with a deft turnover and bludgeoned forward. Home forwards killed the ball allowing Venus to punt the penalty to the corner. A lineout peel saw Beau Carney feed Tommy Harris and he scampered round the defence for his hat-trick try, Venus missed the kick, 0 – 29 after just eight minutes played. Sandbach open-side Ally Burton picked up the only yellow card of the game minutes later as the home side struggled to stem the relentless ‘Street attack that from a lineout drive saw powerful openside Jamie Harrop peel off to set up the supporting forwards for Ben Dawes to eventually crash over on the half hour; Venus missed a difficult kick, 0 – 34 and ten minutes to go. Lost possession eventually condemned ‘Street to their 22 and after some sterling defence, with outstanding back rowers, Gareth Turner, Jamie Harrop and Chris Zutic leading the way, Sandbach were repelled time and again, but eventually superb ball retention and two penalties paid dividends for Sandbach as home hooker Tom Herd crashed over for a hard earned touch down, with Benny Elliot adding the conversion for 7 – 34 going into the fourth quarter. Following powerful play by back row Jamie Harrop and Gareth Turner, continued by ‘skipper’ Carney around half way, ‘Street’s kept up their relentless play against the wind and slope with some admirable approach, by forwards and backs, bringing Tommy Harris his fourth opportunity and he took it willingly to touch down wide out. Corey Venus was unable to convert, 7 – 39. A penalty in their own half saw Sandbach again kick deep into the visitor’s 22 from where they launched another patient build up for a well-crafted try for Andy Nash under the posts. A conversion by Elliot saw the home boys take the score to 14 – 39. ‘Street ‘played’ for the full eighty minutes, as a team should, and made their pace and power tell to set up a fifth try for the on-song Tommy Harris; the score was converted by Corey Venus to round off a first class team performance.
Sandbach 14 Broadstreet 46 - Tommy Harris 25
Mrs Freemantle, I believe, was in attendance in a fetching pink outfit despite her son being side-lined from last week, but she declined to comment, except to mutter in a deep masculine voice something like, “That was awesome Victor; who would have bet on that result Fred”?
Cameo Moment:The final whistle heralding elation, promotion and a challenge completed with no little panache! Congratulations to one and all.
Team: Ben Dawes, Stewart Pearl, Harry Pendleton; Andy Solomon, Matthew Solomon; Gareth Turner, Jamie Harrop, Beau Carney; Andy Murray, Danny Richards; Tommy Harris, Jordan Simpson, Will Owen, Tom Harris; Corey Venus. Reps: Paul Hurst, Chris Zutic, Jefferey Gregson.
Not Forgetting: Neil Tatlow, Josh McNulty, Sam Bennett, Mark Warrilow, Paul Wilkes, Callum Tucker, Chris Wood, Alex Beddows, Simon Morris, Sam Harcourt, Nick Thatcher, Lee Chapman, Todd Freemantle, Andy McGrory, Marc Brittain, Anthony Miller, Liam Munro, John Smit, Ignas Darkintis, Brad Thorne, Brett Daynes and Greg Evans all of whom contributed to the campaign this season.
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