Swifts too Good for the Buffaloes
On the first real sunny day of the Summer season, the Buffaloes opened their 2018 Yorkshire Mens League Season with a trip to Huddersfield to take on the Lindley Swifts.
The Afternoon started ominously, when, during the team’s final preparation for the game the referee was striding up and down the pitch measuring the markings, trying to work out if the pitch was anywhere near the regulation size. He was not happy and asked Steve Langton if we wanted to proceed with the game as he wasn’t pleased with the pitch.
Before the game kicked off, the referee called in both sets of players, and laid down the law to them, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
The game was a slow affair, for several reasons, the referee allowing both teams to lie on in the tackle for seemingly as long as they wanted and his desire to make the game run at a pace that was comfortable to him.
Lindley took the best advantage of this, laying on and creeping up in the defensive line, which closed the Buffaloes plays down before they got started.
Lindley was on the attack from the off, capitalising on some early mistakes by the Bramley Team and Pedantic decisions by the referee. In the 12th minute, Dave Valentine, crashed over for the opening score of the afternoon, with the winger, Ben Cole, adding the conversion, giving the home team the lead 6-0.
Six Minutes later, the Buffaloes we back in contention, when Connor McGill, Put up a towering kick, which, boom centre, Nathan Hammond, plucked out of the air and stormed over the line for the opening Buffaloes try, Kieran Foster-Matthews was unsuccessful with the conversion attempt, reducing the lead to 6-4.
In the 21st minute, the home team had another sustained spell of pressure, and hooker Sam McLuskey nipped through some weak defence at the Play the Ball to score under the posts, with Cole adding the extra two points, extending the home sides lead to 12-4.
On 24 minutes, Buffaloes Scrumhalf, Brad Wilson, put a deft kick through the Lindley defensive line, but the charging attackers were unable to put the ball down. Lindley seemed to knock the ball dead, but the referee from his position, nowhere near the incident, deemed that no one had touched it and gave a 20-metre tap. Returning star, Craig Boot, questioned the referee, who immediately gave a penalty for dissent and marched the bewildered Buffaloes another 10 metres.
in the 32nd minute, Lindley was in again, when Prop, Ben Mathers crossed the line for the home sides third try, again, cole added the conversion, taking the lead out to 18-4.
In injury time, the Buffaloes, believe that Kieran Hudson had scored next to the posts, following a high kick, Hudson outjumped the Lindley Fullback, gathered the ball and touched the ball down. However, the referee from 20 yards away had other ideas and gave a knock on.
The second half, was another stop-start affair, with the referee tiring, and the play slowing down more.
in the 49th minute, Lindley winger, Cole scored a try out wide that he was unable to convert, extending the lead to 22-4.
On the hour mark, Curtis Sidebottom, charged through the defence for the Buffaloes Second try of the afternoon, reducing the lead to 22-8.
Three minutes later, Lindley Fullback, Kelly, raced away from the tiring defence to score another unconverted try, taking the lead to 26-8.
The game grew more tetchy as the end of the game neared its end. With the players on both sides becoming frustrated with the referee and each other. Somehow he managed to add 9 minutes of additional time on to the game. However neither team could capitalise on the possession they had, and no further scores were added and the game finished at 26-8.
Lots of positives to be taken from the game for the Buffaloes. Discipline was better than last week against Dewsbury Celtic, Craig Boot returned to the club for the first time since the 2014 grand final, the patterns and moves are coming together. The only downside to the game was the injury to Prop Tom Barraclough, who broke a finger badly, which will require an operation.
Next week we travel the short distance to Upton ARLFC. The address of the ground is Quarry Ln, Upton, Pontefract WF9 1DA. There will be a coach leaving, The Commercial at 12:30 for the game to book your place, please contact the club.
Lindley Swifts: 1) Jamie Kelly, 2) Ben Cole, 3) Richard Aka, 4) Tom Eidson, 5) Jonny Tinker, 6) Jack Hauge, 7) Stephen Booth, 8) Kieron Blacker, 9) Sam McLuckey, 10) Ben Mathers, 11) Scott Bradley, 12) Dave Valentine, 13) Niel Sykes, Subs (all used); 14) Tyler Brosscome,
15) Wayne Jowweh, 16) Alex Muff, 17) Lee Buckley.
Tries: Valentine (12), McLuskey (21), Mathers (32), Cole (49), Kelly (63).
Goals: Cole 3 from 5.
Bramley Buffaloes: 1) Peter Croft, 5) Kieran Foster Matthews, 3) Dan Baranyi, 17) Nathan Hammond, 2) Rob Brown, 13) Connor McGill, 19) Brad Wilson, 8) Tom Barraclough, 9) Cameron McLachlan, 10) Ben Maynard Worrincy, 11) Tom Langton, 12) Curtis Sidebottom, 4) Kieron Hudson, Subs (all used); 18) Craig Boot, 15 Stephen Bell, 14) Aiden Baranyi, 16) Craig Brown.
Tries: Hammond (18), Sidebottom (60).
Goals: Foster-Matthews 0 from 2.