SALE JETS 10
Guinness ‘A’ League Round 2
Franklin’s Gardens
Monday, November 12th, 2007
To say the Wanderers got off to a slow start would have a touch of understatement. Not only did Sale score a try only the second minute through winger Selorm Kuadey, converted by Rhys Jones, but the Wanderers were consistently failing to turn any of their possession into genuine opportunities.
However play finally clicked for the Northampton second-string in the 27th minute, thanks in part to the sinbinning of former Saint Andy Vilk. Though this created an extra man out wide for the hosts Chris Micklewood was burying his head in the pitch to avoid seeing Will Harries cross for the try his missed tackle had created.
However Barry Everitt missed the conversion, the Wanderers couldn’t take any more advantage and when Vilk returned it was still a two-point ball game.
The hosts didn’t need an extra man for their next try. Again it came from a set-piece with the incursion of Paul Diggin off his wing creating the overlap. The arcing run went first out then in and straight past the bemused defenders. Johnny Howard was in support to score the superb try by the sticks.
Everitt landed this conversion and a penalty, which sandwiched a penalty from Jones and took the half-time score to Wanderers 15, Sale 10.
The cobwebs that had permeated the Wanderers’ play in the opening minutes had been totally blown away as the second half opened and the pressure told in the 47th minute. Everitt’s chip to the unmarked Diggin was inch-perfect and the winger crossed for the third try in the Shrubbery Corner.
The ten-point margin this try created opened some breathing space. More importantly it reinforced the Wanderers’ growing confidence and when Phil Hoy dived over by the sticks for a 64th-minute try, his first in the Guinness 'A' League, the contest was as good as over, especially with David Smith’s conversion that took the score to 27-10.
There was increased physicality in the Wanderers’ defence as well and the number of Sale players who will nurse morning bruises grew by the minute.
The try of the night came eight minutes from time. Grant Anderson lined up the Sale midfield and sliced straight through. An increasing number of white shirts were left in his wake and the resultant try was greeted with jubilant celebration both on the pitch and in the stands.
17-year-old Rob Milligan came close to a late intercept try and Sale kept battering away but no further scores were forthcoming and the Wanderers will go into next week’s East Midlands derby at Welford Road with two wins from two.
Teams:
Wanderers – Harries (Storey 70mins); Diggin, Hoyles, Anderson, Smith; Everitt (Vass 53mins), Howard (Brake 53mins); Emms, Gray, Murray (Vickers 53mins), Hoy, Short (Lawes 53mins), Rudzki, Lewitt (Milligan 70mins), Hopley (capt).
Sale Jets – Riley (Davidson 70mins); Vilk, Kennedy (Leck 54mins), Micklewood, Kuadey; R Jones, Cliff; Birchall (S Roberts 66mins), Jones, E Roberts (Halsall 12mins (Altham 46mins)), Gaskell (O’Donnell 48mins), Day (Holmes 62mins), Fessia, J Jones, Shaw.
Scorers:
Wanderers – Tries: Harries, Howard, Diggin, Hoy, Anderson; Cons: Everitt, Smith; Pen: Everitt.
Sale Jets – Try: Kuadey; Con: R Jones; Pen: R Jones.
Yellow card:
Vilk (22mins)
Attendance:
1,106
TIMELINE:
2mins SALE Try Kuadey Con R Jones 0-7
22mins SALE Yellow card Vilk
27mins WAND Try Harries 5-7
36mins WAND Try Howard Con Everitt 12-7
39mins SALE Pen R Jones 12-10
40+1mins WAND Pen Everitt 15-10
HALF-TIME WANDERERS 15 SALE 10
47mins WAND Try Diggin 20-10
64mins WAND Try Hoy Con Smith 27-10
72mins WAND Try Anderson 32-10
FULL-TIME WANDERERS 32 SALE 10
