The Buccs are flipped & flopped by some classy Sandals.

The Buccs travelled to last years Premiership winners Sandal with their confidence sky high after last weeks fantastic win at Wharfedale however Sandal had no 1st team game and they are known to like to help out their 2nds with 1st team players on days like this. The Buccs warm up was like Mike Mel’s love making technique, it was a bit frantic, it was good in parts but the end result was disappointing. (Confirmed by Emma)

From the kick off Sandal going up the hill showed The Buccs exactly how they were going to play……. Straight, hard and very very direct, now usually this is bread and butter to The Buccs who can cope with what’s thrown at them but today something felt a little off! Whereas last week The Buccs fought fire with fire, today players were dropping off tackles and letting the Sandal 5, 8, 12 and 13 dominant the collisions even the kicking game of last week seemed to of deserted them and instead of using the hill to great effect, kicks were sliced, they went up in the air instead of going long or they were kicked straight down their lardy but quick winger who carried it back with aplomb, however against the run of play The Buccs were awarded a penalty thirty metres out and Jacob Edwards slotted it with ease 0 - 3 to The Buccs. Sandal kicked long and The Buccs for reasons known only to themselves tried to play it out of their half instead of kicking and using the hill, one forced error and the excellent back row of Sandal pounced on the ball and marched into The Buccs 22, after five penalties on the bounce and quick tap and go’s the Sandal flanker went over, conversion missed 5 - 3!

Again the Buccs went down the field from a nice restart by Edwards and played a number of nice bits of possession but too often players were going in on their own and getting smashed backwards whereas the last three weeks has been all about teamwork today seemed more about players trying to do it on their own! Maybe last week’s heroics has drained The Buccs both physically and mentally? However against the run of play The Buccs got another penalty and Edwards slotted again 5 - 6! Something from that penalty stirred Sandal and for the next ten minutes it was all them, from the restart they came with wave after wave of attacking big men which The Buccs decided to try and wrestle with instead of chopping low and hard, again after a raft of penalties in their 22 The Buccs conceded another kickable penalty 8 - 6 to Sandal! Sandal could sense things were going their way with play & the ref and soon they scored again when their 1st team centre went over for the first of his three tries! Conversion slotted 15 - 6! The Buccs kept trying to make an attempt to take play down field but were smashed back by Sandal at each opportunity and after one error Sandal used quick hands and the 13 galloped in for his second and their ten slotted the conversion 22 - 6 to Sandal and the half time whistle was blown.

The half time talk was about getting some pride back and taking the game to Sandal in units not as individuals.

From the restart The Buccs conceded a penalty in their 22 and Sandal fearing maybe the halftime talk had stirred The Buccs into action slotted the penalty 25 - 6! Sandal dominated play at the beginning of the second half and were camped in The Buccs 22 for much of it! Only brave turnovers & long kicks upfield by Sam Hassard on at ten saved The Buccs! Jack Pinder was introduced in the back row & it has to be said he was a revelation! Rugby is a game where you need to be fit and have an engine and that lad has it in spades! Perhaps the lads need to take note of Jack’s fitness because to a man Sandal just looked fitter and more able to cope with the intensity of the match! For the next ten minutes The Buccs “nearly” lost three men, first Jack Walker looked to be straight off with an unbelievable flip tackle on the Sandal 8, the crowd winced, the 8 minced and Jack started to march off! But the ref who was in the exact spot said it was accidental! Then tough as teak centre Josh Dawson took a bang and had to come off, then Josh Parker was absolutely clattered by their 13 and he was off as was their 13 for ten in the bin! The Buccs back line was hastily rearranged with Tom Winch into the centres and young Jacob Mitchell onto the wing! Play continued for the next ten minutes until their 13 came back on and with his first touch bumped two lads off, went through a gap and marched over for his 3rd! Conversion slotted 32 - 6 to Sandal! The Buccs were looking at their heaviest defeat in a year but Jack Pinder leading from the front had other ideas from the kick restart he sprinted up the pitch and somehow caught the ball on the half volley & the ball went flying up into the Sandal 22 with everyone chasing back! Jack managed to collect his own ball & it was shipped out to Ryan Daniel who dotted down in the corner, conversion missed 32 - 11. The Buccs then started to play like they can, their forwards started to take the ball on in units and tackle & jackal in pairs and the backs started to find gaps! From one break the ball was shipped out fast to Jacob Mitchell who dotted down in the corner for his first Buccs try! Conversion missed 32 - 16! Coach Zgoda had on his watch 8 minutes to go due to all the stoppages in play and was hoping the The Buccs could maybe sneak two more quick tries while their backs were up and get a bonus point but the Ref strangely called time with 7 minutes to go! It was a tough day at the office for this young Buccs team who were given an old school lesson in rugby by a team who were just more upfront and aggressive in everything they did! But like the heavy defeat to Driffield 2nds last year this young squad will learn from it!

MOTM - Jack Pinder, Came on and was everywhere in attack and defence! Created a try and if he could train & play every week I honestly think he’d be knocking on the 1st team door. What a cameo! Gave us go forward & never gave up!

FOTM - Dan Pinder - Back-row, 2nd row, hooker, prop, - he played everywhere for this team & always gave his all! A true team player!

BOTM - Alex Edwards - Got his nose broken (oh how we laughed on the sideline) but didn’t come off! Got on with his game, got smashed loads but kept coming! We’ll miss him next week as he has been one of the stand out players so far this season.

Next up... Harrogate at home.

Up the Buccs!