Hodson to the rescue as Sandal hold on for derby win over Morley

Going into the game the hosts were in better shape, sitting in the top four, while Morley have struggled after last season’s relegation. Sandal got the first points with a penalty by fly-half Tom Smith, but that was quickly cancelled out by the boot of winger Simon Bradshaw.

Sandal were then rocked by injuries to two players and there was a lengthy stoppage after prop James Purcell suffered a suspected broken leg.

When the game got going again, Morley stole the advantage.

Flanker Tom Clough showed excellent pace from 40 metres to carve his way through the defence, touching down for an 8-3 half-time lead.

After the interval, Sandal restored parity with their only try of the game, a pushover from 15 metres that ended with second-row Austen Thompson dropping on the ball. Bradshaw put the visitors back in front with his second successful kick, only for Smith to return the favour and leave the scores locked at 11-11.

With five minutes remaining, Sandal were awarded a penalty, for offside at the ruck, Smith duly landing the goal.

In the dying seconds, Bradshaw broke through on a diagonal run, only to see his pace matched by Sandal’s Tom Hodson, who forced a knock-on in the tackle.

Beverley 7 Bradford & Bingley 53

With an unprecedented injury crisis, Beverley again fielded a scratch side which was unable to prevent the Bees running up 50 points for the second week running.

Bradford were 12 points up within five minutes through two tries and one conversion by winger Gavin Stead.

Two tries by No 8 Guy Ford, one by centre Ben Greaves and another by Stead, one of them converted, took Bradford to 36-0 after 30 minutes.

Beverley created chances of their own but poor passing and lack of pace down the wings denied them a score.

When lock Richard Hughes added a seventh try for Bradford taking them to 41-0 at the interval a final score of mammoth proportions looked likely. But in the second half Beverley struck back strongly and restricted Bradford to only two further scores, a try by Stead and another by fly-half Giles Hetherington with Stead adding one conversion.

In between, Beverley got on the scoresheet with a well-worked try set up by centre Junior Tupai, who sent fellow centre Ben Johnson over between the posts for a try converted by full-back Steve Johnson.

Leicester’s Boris Stankovich has been cited for an alleged dangerous tackle against Bath, while two London Irish players also have a case to answer.

Faan Rautenbach has been charged with striking an opponent during the Exiles’ match at Gloucester and Chris Hala’ufia with a dangerous charge into an opponent, having been sin-binned during the game for a high tackle on Olly Morgan.

Newcastle have appealed against a four-week suspension handed to James Hudson on October 3 for an alleged dangerous tackle.

The citings will be heard in London today while Hudson’s appeal will be heard in Brighouse tomorrow.