Pontefract 73 Bradford Salem 8

Pontefract 73 Bradford Salem 8

The weather did not know if it was spring or winter at Moor Lane as sleet, rain and bright sunshine descended on a very impressive Pontefract victory. Salem have struggled this season with their highlight been a home win in the return fixture, a result which could well cost Ponte the league title.

The game got off to a quick start as a great charge down from Brodie Matthews allowed the backs to put on a beautiful move which Lucas Ketteridge finished off in the corner. Five nil up with barely a minute on the clock. From then on Salem had their best spell of the game as Ponte gave penalties away at the breakdown, which in turn led to a three-point penalty and eventually a yellow card for Jack Beddis with the team on a warning. Ponte did hit back as man of the match centre Andy Coleman went under the posts after more good handling. Dominant scrums are a given this year, and this game was no difference. There was no need to play a tight game however as Pontes preferred running game was too much for the opposition. From scrum possession, flying winger Ciaran Tucker was next over the line from a fine Liam Kay pass which he converted from the touchline.

From the restart Brodie Matthews was felled by a high tackle from the influential Salem number eight who received a red card. If their task was difficult before it was now nigh on impossible, and the scoreboard began to tick. Jack Beddis scored from a scrum, then player coach Craig Fawcett rolled back the years outpacing the cover from the halfway line.

At thirty-three to three up at half time it was going to be a long afternoon for the visitors. Firstly, Leo Harrison got on the end of a sniping break from excellent scrum half Josh Walker and then Beddis got his second pushover try with Salem picking up another yellow for deliberately collapsing the maul. Salem were in disarray and terrible tackling from the restart ended up with Coleman scoring his second try. There were not many Salem players who stood up in the face of such adversity but one who those did managed a deserved try from a confused line out on the Ponte line. It was a brief respite however as Fawcett added his second from a lovely weighted up and under pass from Kay.

It was Kay who rounded off the scoring with a converted try after a long run from marauding Sam Millard. A superb eleven try performance from Ponte which cemented their place in the top three as they chase top spot