Bramley Buffaloes welcomed league leaders, East Hull, to the Warrels for their second home game of the season, welcoming back some of last weeks missing players and three debutants. Harry Kilbride, and two ex-professional players, Kyle Briggs, and Ryan MacDonald, the latter making his second debut for the club, having last played for the professional club in their days at Headingley.
The consistency required to do well in the Premier Division is not far away and today’s performance showed that we are not far away from everything clicking into place.
The game was a frantic affair, played for the most part in the middle third of the pitch, with neither team having any real possession in the oppositions danger zone.
In the 8th minute, Easts had their first real attack of the game splitting the Home sides defence, racing away to put the ball down for the referee to pull them back for a forward pass.
Six minutes later, easts winger, James Carrick raced away from the despairing defence and heading seemingly for a try, only to be tackled by rampaging prop, Ben Maynard Worrincy.
On 19 minutes and not long after coming on to the pitch for his debut, rugged prop, Ryan MacDonald, was sent to the sin bin for an incident at the play the ball.
On 24 minutes, Kieran Foster-Matthews, took a pass on Easts 20 metre line and kick the ball through, tapping it forward for the second time, but touching the call down for the opening try of the afternoon, Foster-Matthews was successful with the conversion, giving the Buffaloes the lead 6-0.
On the stroke of half-time, Centre Aidan Baranyi was sent to the sin-bin for punching.
The Buffaloes went into the break leading East Hull 6-0.
Five minutes after the break, Easts were on the on the attack, and put a kick through, which went into the in-goal area, and didn’t seem to be grounded. But the referee awarded them an eight-point try, with the try being award to Carrick, Full Back Joe Rustill missed the conversion attempt but was successful with the penalty attempt from in front of the posts. Levelling the scores at six-all.
in the 58th minute, Easts were awarded a penalty in a kickable position, but they were unable to kick the goal.
Four minutes later, The Buffaloes were awarded a penalty in an equally kickable position to the one that easts missed a few minutes earlier. Stand Off Connor McGill, coolly slotted over the penalty kick to give the Buffaloes the lead again 8-6.
On 64 minutes Easts were on the rampage, only to denied by a try-saving tackle by Full Back Peter Croft. However, a minute later Jack Collinson, stormed over the line for a try, which was converted by Rustill, giving Easts the lead 8-12.
in the 74th Minute, Easts Man of the Match, Tom Newland crashed through the home defence for a try, with Rustill on the ball again adding the extra two points, extending Easts leads to 8-18.
Two minutes later, Liam Smith, stepped through the tiring Buffaloes Defence and sprinted 25 metres to score unopposed under the posts, with Rustill successful again with the conversion, making the score 8-24.
With a minute of the game left, Second Rower, Tom Langton followed up on a kick and wowed the crowd with his dribbling skills, to touch the ball down for a consolation try, which went unconverted, narrowing the lead to 12-24.
A few seconds later the game was over.
Easts proved why they are top of the league and unbeaten, but for the two back to back tries in the 74th and 76th minutes, the scoreline would have been much more representative of the efforts the Buffaloes put in.
There is no game next week due to the bank holiday, but we are at home on the 2nd June when we face New Earswick All Blacks.
Buffaloes: 1) Peter Croft, 2) Kieran Forster-Matthews, 3) Harry Kilbride, 4) Aidan Baranyi, 5) Garry Butterfield, 6) Connor McGill, 7) Brad Wilson (c), 18) Charlie McMurray, 9) Craig Boot, 10) Ben Maynard-Worrincy, 11) Tom Langton, 12) Curtis Sidebottom, 13) Kyle Briggs, Subs (all used); 14) Cameron McLachlan,15) Craig Brown, 16) Stephen Bell, 17) Ryan MacDonald.
Tries: Foster-Matthews (24), Langton, (79)
Goals: Foster-Matthews 1 from 1, McGill1 from 2.
East Hull: 1) Joe Rustill, 2) James Carrick, 3) Ben Goaten, 4) Lee Steward, 5) Joe Lawes, 6) Jack Collinson, 7) Lewis Campion, 8) Tom Newland, 9) Liam Smith, 10) Neil Powley, 11) Ryan Devaney, 12) Callum Baker, 13)Alex Gilbey, Subs (all used); 14) Jack Andrews, 15) Nathan Grant, 16) James Bennett, 17) Sam Archibald.
Tries: Carrick (46), Collinson (65), Newland (74), Smith 76)
Goals: Rustill
Men Of The Match
Bramley – Curtis Sidebottom
Easts – Tom Newland