What a day at the CorpAcq stadium!

Watched by more than 1,000 people in the sun, both teams put on a performance for the crowd, unfortunately for the home crowd, the first half was pretty much all Blackheath FC. After 40 minutes they went into the changing rooms ahead 7-13 with a try and two penalties. The first half was dominated by two yellow cards, mistakes and penalties against Sale FC, who were put under intense pressure for long periods of the game. Only when they went down to 14 men from their second yellow card did they spring to life in front of a subdued home crowd. With some dominant carries, a scrum penalty to Sale FC on the visitors five metre line created a try from a tap penalty with Stone Priestley-Nangle burrowing through to score. The crowd were getting more vocal, but the visitors responded immediately with a well taken try by Harry Dugmore utilising their one man advantage.

Second Half

Blackheath FC came out firing in the second half with an early Try from a catch and drive for Oliver Walliker leaving Sale FC trailing by 13 points at 7-20. Given that Blackheath were fighting for survival it was obvious they were going to throw the kitchen sink at Sale FC. The tide started to turn when Connor Doherty from our own try line, made a 50metre break up to half way supported by Nev Edwards, the ball was quickly recycled then went through 10 sets of hands, onto the flying Tom Walsh supported by Jordan Tebbatt to score in the corner in what has to be in contention for the best team try of the season. The tide had fully turned and the crowd was now heavily involved.

Blackheath started tiring and Sale FC changed gears putting two tries in quick succession through captain Andy Hughes in a catch and drive and then another sublime break from Connor Doherty seeing him run in to score from his own half. Sale FC again upped the tempo and Nev Edwards who’d been a handful for large parts of the game showed pace, a deft kick and quick hands to score in front of the Smithy bar to put the game beyond the reach of Blackheath and add another potential try of the season contender.

The visitors did manage to respond with a penalty on 80 minutes after Andy Hughes was yellow carded and was replaced at flanker by Nev Edwards.

For a more in-depth look at the game, the video highlights are here