Wood puts boot in for lacklustre Sandal as Boro take bonus point against leaders

Waterloo 6

Sandal 9

Sandal claimed the points in a damp affair at Waterloo but while a third successive win will be welcomed the match will not live long in the memory.

Their usual fluent running was not on show and all the scoring was down to kicks. Twice Greg Wood put Sandal into the lead with a penalty and each time it was wiped out by his opposite number.

Ten minutes before the break, Sandal worked a decent position and fed the ball back to Wood, who dropped the all-important goal.

The home side missed two more penalties before the break and despite plenty of effort, neither side could break the deadlock in the second half. Sandal were guilty of kicking away too much possession and though they defended well, they put themselves under pressure by turning over the ball too easily.

Chester 17

Middlesbrough 11

Middlesbrough, who have just three bonus points to show from their first three matches, were on the losing end again as Chester took over the lead from Bradford and Bingley.

Neither side gained the upper hand in the first half, played in wet conditions. After a penalty from fly-half Rhys Hayes for Chester after seven minutes, there was no further score until opposite number Simon O'Farrell kicked Middlesbrough level with a penalty on the half hour.

Chester came out strongly in the second half, taking control with two converted tries in the first 12 minutes which decided the game.

Forward pressure in the first few minutes after the turn-round brought a try from scrum-half Tom Chappell, converted by Rhys Hayes.

Ten minutes later, centre Lloyd Hayes broke clear and touched down between the posts for a try which his brother converted to put the home side 17-3 ahead.

From that point there was little to choose between the sides and Middlesbrough put the home side under pressure at times.

But it was not until the last few minutes that they scored an excellent try, winger Jack Bircham racing over after some good inter-passing.

The try was not converted, but in the 80th minute O'Farrell landed a penalty to secure the losing bonus point.

Beverley 20

Stockport 27

A LATE flourish by Beverley brought them a losing bonus point after Stockport had taken a 24-3 lead early in the second half.

Beverley had all the early play and led by a penalty from fly-half Phil Duboulay after 10 minutes. Stockport steadily got more into the game but it was only through poor Beverley defending that they were able to take a 14-3 lead with tries from lock Paul Ralph and centre Jamie Anthony both converted by full-back Richard Hopkinson.

Playing with more power and composure, Stockport added to their lead shortly before half-time when a Beverley throw-in at the corner went direct to lock Josh Cammiss, who merely had to touch down for a third try.

Beverley trailed 19-3 at the interval and three minutes into the second half fell further behind from a try by wing forward John Wilson following a forward drive.

Both sides had shown plenty of endeavour and Beverley produced a spirited fightback.

They had all the play in the latter stages as No 8 David Worrall scored two fine tries and Duboulay kicked a penalty in reply to one from Hopkinson.

In the final minutes, lock Gavin Gibson scored a third try which Duboulay converted to bring them to within a converted try of equalising.

Bradford and Bingley 15

Penrith 50

BRADFORD and Bingley's impressive start to the season crumbled around them after they were given a dose of their own medicine against free-scoring Penrith.

The tries had been flowing for the Bees in their first two games at their new level, but any thoughts that this season might be a stroll back to the national pyramid were expelled as Penrith romped home in convincing fashion.

Sheffield Tigers 31

Bromsgrove 24

SHEFFIELD Tigers, with just one bonus point from their first two matches, got their Midlands campaign off the ground with a five-point victory against the odds.

Bromsgrove, who had scored 109 points in their first two matches and were lying second prior to this match, took an early lead when No 8 Warren Oliver raced over for a try.

Tigers came back after nine minutes with a try by centre John Buchanan, which stand-off Joe Wright converted, but Bromsgrove edged in front again when Wright's opposite number Ben Copson touched down for their second unconverted try.

Tigers took control in the second quarter, gaining the upper hand when right winger Gareth Morley raced over and they increased their lead with tries by full-back Jon Feeley in the 29th and 35th minutes, both of which were converted by Tom Outram.

The first half finished with a try by winger Oliver but this one was converted by Copson to bring the score back to 26-17 at the interval.

Bromsgrove scored again three minutes into the second half, Copson once more converting when winger Adrian Hales crossed for a try, and there was no further score until the 65th minute when Tigers second-row Brandon Hannam crashed over.