This week saw us take on King Cross Park at Bramley Phoenix, with a depleted team and a smaller crowd than normal, through holidays and the Challenge Cup Semi Final, writes Martyn Cheney.
From the Kickoff, King Cross allowed the ball to go dead, and the Buffaloes were on the attack from the off.
The first score came in the sixth minute when Rob Brown picked up a kick just short of his goal line.
Dancing down the touchline, beating defender after defender before drawing in the fullback on the 20-metre line, he passed the ball inside to Aaron Henry, who sprinted away to touch down under the posts.
Henry converted his try, to give the Buffaloes a 6-0 lead.
In the 15th minute Buffaloes were over the try line again when hooker Cameron McLachlan crashed over from short range, follow a repeat set of six. Henry again added the extras, making the score 12-0.
In the 19th minute, King Cross Park opened their scoring, when the centre, Lewis Tidswell crossed the line, following some terrible defence, for an unconverted try. This narrowed the lead to 12-4.
On 24 minutes second rower Curtis Sidebottom went on a rampaging run through the King Cross defensive line.
Three minutes later and the leading try scorer broke the defensive line on half way and raced away for his opening try of the afternoon, with Henry again adding the conversion, making the score 18-4.
In the 35th minute, Henry beat the first defender and raced 50 metres before passing the ball on the inside to Rob Brown, who crossed the line for a try, with Henry adding the conversion making the score 24-4.
On the stroke of half time, stand off Connor McGill was sent to the sin-bin for interference at the play the ball, after the team were placed on a warning.
Two minutes after the break, Hammond crossed the line for his second try of the afternoon, backing up a break by Tom Langton. Henry was on target again with the conversion, extending the lead to 30-4.
In the 46th minute Tom Harnett crossed for King Cross Park, with Callum Dunne adding the conversion, narrowing the lead to 30-10.
Three minutes later, Sidebottom crashed through the defence, going on one of his trademark runs. With only the winger and full back closing him down, he put a speculative kick into centre field which Henry scooped up and cross the line for his second try of the afternoon, adding the extras. This made the score 36-10.
in the 53rd minute, King Cross Park were over for their third try of the game, when loose forward Greg Broadbent crossed for a try converted by Dunne, bringing the lead down to 36-16.
In the 57th minute, the Buffaloes had another man sent to the sin-bin, this time it was try scorer Cameron McLachlan.
On the three quarter mark debutant Kieran Foster-Mathews cross for his first try for the club. Henry was again successful with the conversion, making the score 42-16.
In the 66th minute, Henry put in a long range kick, chased by Sidebottom, who left the King Cross Park winger in his wake, tapped the ball forward and dived on the ball over the line for a spectacular four pointer, this time unconverted. Making the score 46-16.
Four minutes later, captain and scrum half, Brad Wilson, sneaked through the defensive line from short range for the Buffaloes Final try of the afternoon, Henry was off target again, taking the score to 50-16.
In the 72nd minute, King Cross Park winger Jack Crabtree cross the line for an unconverted try, making the score 50-20.
With around five minutes of normal time left, the referee blew for time on the game.
The Buffaloes have no scheduled league game this weekend, but we are looking for a friendly fixture. Details will be on the website and social media as soon as we know more
Bramley Buffaloes: 1) Aaron Henry, 5) Rob Brown, 3) Tom White, 10) Nathan Hammond, 2) Kieran Foster Matthews, 16) Connor McGill, 15) Brad Wilson, 3) Charlie McMurray, 9) Cameron McLachlan, 8) Martin Slack, 11) Tom Langton, 12) Curtis Sidebottom, 14) Aiden Baranyi, Subs (all used); 17) Anthony Mills, 20) Al Harker, 18) Tom Jenkins.
Tries: Henry (6, 49), McLachlan (15), Hammond (27, 42), Brown (35), Foster-Matthews (59), Sidebottom (66), Wilson (70).
Goals: Henry 7 from 9
King Cross Park: 1) Callum Dunne, 2) Jonny Binns, 3) Joe Gallagher, 4) Lewis Tidswell, 5) Jack Crabtree, 6) Lee Brook, 7) Brad Ratcliffe, 8) Richard Humphries, 9) Ben Miller, 10) Nathan Range, 11) Tom Harnett, 12) Joseph Bryson, 13) Greg Broadbent, Subs (all used); 14) Jordan Batty, 15) Matty Ward, 16) Luke Hand, 17) Jacob Darry.
Tries: Tidswell (19), Harnett (46), Broadbent (53), Crabtree (72).
Goals: Dunne 2 from 4.
Men of the Match:
Buffaloes: Aaron Henry
King Cross Park: Nathan Range
