Match Report - Sandbach 23 v 36 Blackburn

Despite a valiant effort and a decent performance, it wasn’t enough for Sandbach to topple the league leaders, in an intense high energy encounter on Saturday.

The Bach were left to rue missed opportunities and a few big decisions and undoubtedly had their moments, but Blackburn are not top of the pile by accident. They had plenty of big ball carriers and were impressive in how they were happy to go through multiple phases and not kick the ball away, as both sides looked to move the ball quickly. Having been under pressure for significant parts of the game Sandbach stayed in the fight and weren’t out muscled by the visitors and as Blackburn tired, looked like they could even get close or maybe steal it. However fine margins decide games of this type and a late Blackburn breakaway try and penalty, makes the score line not truly reflective of the game.

On a surprisingly mild November afternoon, both sides were quick to establish it was going to be an entertaining afternoon of rugby, as passes were fizzing around and few handling errors made. Blackburn got the scoreboard moving on five minutes, as after several phases, powerful centre Sam Russell slipped through a tackle and burst away to score the opening try. Paddy Gaffey converting. Sandbach then missed a penalty five minutes later, but James Preston made amends soon after with a similar effort. Sandbach then took the lead as Myles Hall burst clear and scrum half Laurie Essenhigh was in support to take the off load and sprint away to score. Preston’s attempted conversion again slipping wide.

Blackburn quickly re-exerted themselves as they found an edge and winger Leon Simpson sprinted away to score, but Bach regained the lead from a set play, as they worked winger Elliott Morris in at the corner. A key moment then came, as ten minutes before the break Sandbach’s Tim Young saw yellow for tackling a man without the ball in the red zone and Blackburn made the home side pay with a couple of quick tries. First big prop Tom Lavelle forced his way over and then, exploiting the extra numbers they created an overlap and winger Jake Foster scored. With Gaffey converting both, Sandbach were 13 v 26 down. Despite that just before the half time whistle the fourteen men were looking likely to score from a driving maul but Blackburn came in at the side to prevent it. A penalty was given for the offence but no reciprocal yellow card. Then to add insult to injury Sandbach proceeded to mess up the resultant 5 metre lineout, to frustratingly go in still thirteen points behind.

Once restored to fifteen Sandbach came out firing and were soon on the scoreboard again as Alex Bishop went over from a driving lineout. Preston’s conversion attempt hitting the post, then another catch and drive opportunity went begging for them as it was held up. Sandbach freshened things up using all their bench, with Tom Morton making his debut. The former Sale Shark and Cheshire fly half being quickly into his rhythm, despite having 18 months out, following a couple of operations on a broken arm. Sandbach were now in the ascendency with the big Blackburn pack starting to blow. It was perhaps galling therefore when after a series of pick and goes just short of the Blackburn line, the Bach were penalised for holding on and from a quick tap Burn went from under one set of posts to the other to score through centre Sam Russell. Gaffey scoring the simple conversion, with eight minutes to go.

Sandbach at least then got the try bonus point their efforts deserved, as Morton handed off the opposition for his first score for Sandbach but was also unsuccessful with his conversion attempt. Ten points down Sandbach searched for at least a losing bonus point score, but it was not to be, with Blackburn happy to see out the game as Sandbach lost Sutherland to the bin, and Gaffey kicked a penalty in the last play of the game.

Sandbach will take the positives from the game and in particular the defensive effort, with young Callum Oakden being outstanding in that regard. They have a week off to recover from their efforts with a classroom-based training session looking at mental health and associated skills planned during the week, to help in this regard. It’s then back on the horse as they travel to South Manchester to play the improving Burnage on 26^th November.

Pictured - Callum Oakden makes another tackle.