PONTEFRACT 36 BRADFORD SALEM 5

PONTEFRACT 36 BRADFORD SALEM 5

Pontefract continued their excellent first season in Yorkshire one with a comfortable victory which avenged an away defeat earlier in the season. With their ever improving front five setting a solid foundation, Pontefract opened the score early with player coach Craig Fawcett going under the posts after great offloads by Sam Millard and Gaz Burns. The next two tries came in quick succession for Burns and Andy Coleman. Both were due to fantastic cross kicks by Liam Kaye who was in mercurial form in his relatively new position at fly half.

If there is any criticism of the team it is their ability to get on the wrong side of the referee, and a string of needless penalties gave Salem the chance to score their only try from a forward drive. Pontefract ended the first half however with a bonus point try. After a solid scrum from the forwards, deft handling allowed free scoring winger Richard Dedicoat to score under the posts.

The second half started in the same vein with a brilliant long range jinking run from Stuart Sanderson ended with Dedicoat scoring his second.

It looked as if Pontefract would run away with the game but Salem stuck to the task gamely. Superb defence kept the visitors out with an outstanding cover tackle from Jack Beddis and an important turnover from Josh Hough catching the eye. Having three men sin binned through the game didn’t help matters but Pontefract had the final word with a try for Sanderson from a Dedicoat break.

The victory takes improving Pontefract up to third place in the league, a fantastic effort from a newly promoted club.