Buffaloes Gored by Bulls
Skirlaugh Bulls ‘A’ 42 (18) v Bramley Buffaloes 10 (10)
On a cold afternoon at Salt End, the Buffaloes were up against the Forty-20 Yorkshire Men’s League, Premier Division league leaders, Skirlaugh Bulls.
After a poor performance the previous weekend against York Acorn, the Buffaloes were looking for an improved showing.
The weather abated in time for kick off and the game started in dry weather and in the opening minutes the Buffaloes were on top, taking the game to the Bulls. In the 8th minute the Buffaloes opened the scoring when centre Aaron Blake finished off a fantastic move, which he started on the half way line, breaking through the Bulls defence, before offloading to Rodney Menon, who after beating several defenders passed back on the inside to Blake who went in unopposed for the opening score. Scrum Half Stevie Suddards added the extras to give the Buffaloes the lead 0-6.
The next ten minutes was end to end action with both teams testing each other defence out. With the Bulls eventually forcing a mistake and winger Shane Rutland went over for their opening try, making the score 4-6.
The Bulls pressed their attacking options, and only some stout defence kept them out, until just before the half hour mark, when they went over for three tries in 6 minutes, first up was second rower, Matthew Storey, who converted his own try, on thirty minutes loose forward Marc Smith went through some poor defending, and in the 33rd minute centre and Bulls Man of the Match, Brandon Graham scored another unconverted try, making the score 18-6 to the Bulls.
Two minutes before the break, Omar Al-Rawi scored the Buffaloes second try of the afternoon, following a wonderful solo break, 40 metres from the Bulls line, making the half time score 18-10 to the home team.
The second half was all the Bulls, whose superiority in attack starved the visitors of the ball. when the Buffaloes had the ball they suffered a spate of handling errors as the weather changed to torrential rain and hailstones.
The opening score of the second half came in the 44th minute when prop Gareth Storey stormed through, Matthew Storey converted, making the score 24-10.
12 minutes later Gary Prest broke through the tiring defence for another unconverted try making the score 28-10.
In the 59th minute prop Storey was in for his second of the afternoon, 4 minutes later loose forward Marc Smith broke away and score another unconverted try, making the score 36-10.
The final score of the game came in the 72nd minute when Prest went 20 metres to score his second of the day, converted by Storey, making the final score 42-10.
The Buffaloes man of the match, Terry Brown, was outstanding at Fullback and saved several certain tries.
West Hull Lions – 1) James Tindall, 2) Shane Rutland, 3) Brandon Graham, 4) Ben Peterson, 5) Adam Robinson, 6) Robert Brown, 7) Darron Jones, 8) Chris Penrose, 9) Bill Grimmer, 10) Gareth Storey, 11) Gary Prest, 12) Matthew Storey, 13) Marc Smith, Subs; 14) Luke Dysdale, 15) Dean Booth, 16) Luke Tomson, 17) Phil Took
Tries – Rutland (19), M Storey (27), Smith (30), Graham (33), G Storey (44, 59), Prest (56, 72), Smith (63)
Goals – Storey (3 from 9)
Buffaloes – 1) Terry Brown, 2) Gary Butterfield, 3) Aaron Blake, 4) Phil Egan, 5) Rodney Menon, 6) Omar Alrawi, 7) Stevie Suddards, 8) Tom Roden, 9) Aaron Butterworth, 10) Dave Parker, 11) Aiden MacGregor, 12) Andrew Hepworth, 13) Jake Doyle, Subs; 14) Rikk Sumner, 15) Luke Jackson, 16) Gaz Hudson, 17) Ryan Jackson
Tries – Blake (8), Al-Rawi (38)
Goals – Suddards (1 from 2)
Men of the Match
Bulls – Brandon Graham
Buffaloes – Terry Brown