Hunslet Club Parkside Take the Spoils
Before I Start the report, I want to point out that the views of the author are not the views of the club or any other organisation that they may belong to.
As season openers go, we have had much worse, much much worse. Our first foray into the Forty/20 Cup competition ended with an 18-4 defeat, at Hunslet Club Parkside. The scoreline flatters the home side immensely, and the Buffaloes can be proud of the efforts on the field.
The home side was ably assisted by a young referee, who seemed to be swayed by the home sides players when making decisions. Perhaps an older more experienced referee would not have been pressured into favouring the home side; we will never know.
The teams were evenly matched throughout, with it taking 20 minutes before either side got near to crossing the oppositions try line. When the Buffaloes Tom Langton barged his way over the line, only to be held up by some stern defence.
in the 26th Minute, Parkside broke free from the Buffaloes and raced 50 meters towards the tryline, some excellent cover defence from Kieran Foster-Matthews and Brooke Flynn, stopped the attack.
Two minutes later and the Buffaloes were down to 12 men when Captain Brad Wilson, was sent to the sin bin for questioning the referee’s interpretation and application of the rules, more than likely suggested that there were two teams on the field.
From the resulting penalty, Parkside Hooker, and ex-Buffalo Chris Boyce nipped through a gap in the defensive line for the opening Score of the afternoon, with Winger, Luke Medley, adding the conversion, making the score 6-0 to the home team.
In the 33rd minute, the Buffaloes thought they were over the line again. However, the referee thought he saw a forward pass and disallowed the try.
On 36 Minutes the Buffaloes were reduced to twelve men when boom centre Aidan Barayni, was sent to the sinbin for a deliberate Shoulder Charge.
The second half continued in the same way the first did, with both teams trying to find a breakthrough, and the referee penalising the Buffaloes while ignoring similar indiscretion from the home team.
In the 51st minute, the referee awarded one of his spurious penalties and Medley, kicked the penalty goal extending the lead to 8-0.
Six minutes later and the home side added their second try of the afternoon, the opposition player was practically stood with the Bramley Fullback before the bomb was launched. The referee ignored the calls for offside, and waved play on, Richard Squires Dribbled the ball through and dived on it behind the try line for the Try, with Medley adding the conversion, taking the lead out to 14-0.
In the 61st minute, the Buffaloes broke free and Foster-Matthews sprinted away from the despairing defenders to dive over for what the Buffaloes players and fans thought was their first try of the afternoon, only for the referee to rule that the ball had been lost in the act of scoring, much to the bemusement of the away supporters.
In the 68th minute, the referee awarded another penalty to the home side this time for alleged obstruction, Medley Kicked the penalty goal extending the lead to 16-0.
On 71 Minutes and the Buffaloes were on the attack, a beautiful short pass split the defence open, and home team cried ‘Forward’, and the referee obliged them with a scrum and feed to them.
Three minutes of normal time left on the clock, the Buffaloes were pinned on their own line, and desperate for possession went for a short dropout, however this did not go the required 10 metres, and a penalty was awarded in front of the posts to the home team, Medley added the penalty goal extending the lead to 18-0.
In the last minute of regular time the Buffaloes opened their account, when Foster-Matthews crashed over for a try that was this time awarded, Stand Off, Connor McGill was unable to add the extras from the touchline, reducing the lead to 18-4.
After 5 minutes or so of injury time, the referee blew for Fulltime.
More positives than negatives for the Buffaloes to take into next weekends home game with Wibsey Warriors, which takes place at Home, on the 9th March, kicking off at 2:30.
Parkside: 1) Wheeler, Callam, 2) SOUTHERN, Jake, 3) GOODYEAR, Duane, 4) CORNEY, Jake, 5) MEDLEY, Luke, 6) SQUIRES, Richard, 7) Broadhead, Marcus, 9) BOYCE, Chris, 10) BISCOMB, Adam, 11) Dunbar, Conner, 12) BREEN, William, 13) WHITE, Jorden, Subs (all used); 15) JORDAN, Kieran, 16) Haigh, McKenzie, 17) NICHOLSON, Dyson.
Tries: Boyce (28), Squires (57)
Goals: Medley x 5
Buffaloes: 2) Kieran Foster-Matthews, 17) Brooke Flynn, 3) Aidan Baranyi, 4) Kieran Hudson, 5) Robert Brown, 6) Connor Mcgill, 7) Bradley Wilson, 15) Benjamin Maynard Worrincy, 13) Jake Barnett, 21) Charlie Mcmurray, 11) Thomas Langton, 12) Daniel Baranyi, 9) Cameron Mclachlan; Subs (All Used), 16) Daniel Steel, 20)Tom Jenkins, 19) Craig Brown.
Tries: Foster-Matthews (77)
Man of the Match – Brad Wilson