Esher vs Sale FC

Recap

Sam Clarke hat-trick as Sale beat Esher

In Jonathan Keep’s 350th game as Director of Rugby, the Dogs travelled down to Surrey looking to continue their good form against an Esher side hoping to put daylight between themselves and the bottom of the table.

The game couldn’t have started any better for the hosts, flying out of the traps to score in less than a minute through winger, Ben Robbins, with fly-half, Tom Walker, adding the extras. 7-0

Undaunted, Sale took advantage of the home side losing prop, Emmett Murphy, to a yellow card as they won an attacking lineout and drove towards the line for Ciaran Parker to grab his first try of the season; James Robins kicked a superb conversion. 7-7

Esher are renowned for playing an attacking brand of rugby and they didn’t disappoint, running the ball from anywhere to test the Sale defence. However, the Dogs came through a tricky period to take the lead as brilliant work from Sam Clarke saw him step this way and that to make it over the whitewash, his first try for the Dogs. 7-12

Back came the hosts, a cross kick falling perfectly into the arms of Robbins for his second try; Walker was on target from the tee. 14-12

The tit-for-tat nature of the game continued as Sale attacked at will, Mark Dixon eventually offloading perfectly for Sam Clarke to scamper in to make it a brace. HT 14-17

Only two minutes of the second half had elapsed when brilliant attacking play led to Tom Brady chipping over the defence for Sam Clarke to collect and complete a fine hat-trick. 14-22

Less than 3 minutes later, Esher hit back again as their Harlem Globetrotters-style rugby resulted in a try for scrum-half, Henry Mortimer, and Walker made no mistake from directly in front of the posts. 21-22

Scrum power from the Dogs proved too much for the hosts in the 51st minute as the pack drove to the line for skipper, Andy Hughes, to dive over. 21-27

Sale put the game out of sight in a 3-minute spell either side of the 70th minute, Ben Carlile grabbed himself a try after a strong catch and drive and Tom Brady then provided an individual moment of brilliance, sending the defence the wrong way with an outlandish dummy before splashing over. FT 21-37

A fine bonus point victory secured on the road against a dangerous Esher side whose playing style deserves admiration.