Report by Doug Thorpe
New Brighton 24 – 8 Sandbach
Alan Hesketh earned his Man of the Match award with an aggressive scrumhalf’s performance in the Blues’ home win over Sandbach by three converted tries and a penalty goal to a try and a penalty. His halfback partner Steve Dean was also on target with his goal kicking with 4 successes out of 4 attempts.
With the home side holding the sway in the set pieces New Brighton could well have won by a greater margin. The experienced Marko Dorrington, Phil Buckley and John Brotherton were far too street wise for the opposing front row and Paul Campbell with Ryan Stead dominated in the line out. However, too many infringements in the tackle area and the occasional stray pass frustrated some very good work in the backs, from which one could have expected more, with all three tries coming from No 8 Kati Tuipulotu (2) and Ikuna Manuofetoa at No 6 from close to the line attacking positions.
The Blues were up for it from the kick off. Marcus Coast was tackled just short of the line and from an ensuing scrum Ikuna Manuofetoa snapped up the ball to score with barely three minutes on the clock. Steve Dean added the extras from what was not the easiest of positions wide out on the left. The margin increased to 14 – 0 on 20 minutes when Kati charged over after a tapped penalty kick some 10 metres out and Dean again on target.
Sandbach pulled back some of their deficit with a penalty goal, getting into position after intercepting a stray pass, and could have reduced it further but for Sean Ellis narrowly winning the race for a touchdown in the in goal area. A yellow card for Manuofetoa reduced New Brighton to 14 men 10 minutes before the end of the first half. Lee Pickles missed with his attempt to kick the goal but Dean made no mistake when his chance came just on the break.
Half Time Score: New Brighton 17 – 3 Sandbach
New Brighton and the game itself lost a lot of its sparkle in the second half which overall lasted all of 55 minutes including stoppage time. Sandbach enjoyed much more possession and employed it well to put New Brighton on the defensive for extended periods. A try by Kati, peeling off the side of the scrum, again converted, should have settled the result. However, the visitors could be considered unlucky when Marcus Coast prevented a score with a full stretch ankle high tackle and they did show their teeth when they managed to put No 8 Lee Pickles at the end of a well controlled attack to record their only try with 10 minutes to go.
Final Score: New Brighton 24 – 8 Sandbach