RFU Intermediate Cup
Sale F.C. 36 Kirkby Lonsdale 12
Despite a slow start to the scoring, Sale finally produced the goods in Pool 1 of the RFU North Intermediate Cup with a confident second half performance to beat the Cumbrian visitors in this first ever match between the two clubs.
Sale had the better of possession in the opening minutes but play was mainly confined to an area between the respective 10 metre lines. The visitors had the first chance of points when we were penalised in our own half but the KL stand off was well wide from 40 metres.
Both sides were opening out the game on a day perfect for open, flowing rugby and despite us conceding a number of early penalties, neither side could get points on the board. Matters looked promising when a fine break by Jack Moorhouse midway through the half put Andrew Baston in the clear but the final pass went to ground some 15 metres from the try line. Just after the half hour Baston was instrumental in putting Sale points on the board as a trademark charge for the line knocking over a couple of defenders in the process, saw the flanker release Alex Bowen to touch down for a 5-0 lead.
Mike Raikes added a penalty when KL were caught offside, and the half ended with a second try created from a Baston break with the move carried on by Moorhouse, Raikes and scrum half Tom Holloway, for Carwyn Williams to touch down to give us a 13-0 lead at half time.
The second half opened with a chance for the visitors to put points on the board, but the KL kicker was having an off day as his third attempt went wide of the mark. We extended our lead ten minutes into the half when Mike Raikes split the opposition defence and with Moorhouse keeping the momentum going, Baston finished matters off with our third try.
Kirkby came back with a try of their own by Knapton a couple of minutes later, but a second Raikes penalty extended our lead to 21-5 when the visitors were again caught offside. An error in defence allowed the KL stand off to pick up a loose ball and score under the posts and he narrowed the gap to 21-12 with the simplest of conversions.
In the final quarter it was mainly Sale as Jon Attlee touched down after neat interpassing in the visitors “22”, and then a flowing move taking play from the Sale “22” almost to the KL line was briefly stopped by an offside decision, until a quick tap saw Johnny Edwards cut through for a try to put us 31-12 ahead..
In the final minute with Sale pressing once more, Alex Bowen scored his second try of the match to complete a fine display. We now await the outcome of the last pool game when Kirkby Lonsdale host Widnes at the end of February, to see who progresses to a play off against the winners of pool 2, east of the pennines.
Neil Thallon