Hunslet Club Parkside visited Bramley Buffaloes for the first time this weekend, writes Martin Cheney.
With both clubs chasing a minimum of second place in the table, following the withdrawal of St Josephs, which reopened the race for the home games in the play offs.
The game promised to be a thriller and didn’t disappoint, with the result in doubt until two minutes into injury time. The weather turned during the morning, and the sun came out, and the conditions were ideal for fast flowing rugby.
The game started with end-to-end rugby, with both the sides trying to find a mistake, punctuated by the referee’s whistle.
In the 13th minute, Hunslet Club Parkside opened the scoring, with a try from Lee Kelley, following back to back penalties, converted by Fullback Luke Medley, giving Parkside the lead 0-6.
In the 17th minute, Buffaloes loose forward Aiden Baranyi was dispatched to the sin-bin for punching in the tackle.
In the 35th minute, Parkside was over again, for their second try of the afternoon. When the Buffaloes players didn’t call for a high ball, the ball bounced between then and Parksides Adam Smith scooped up the ball for a try next to the posts, Medley, again adding the extras, doubling the lead to 0-12.
Two minutes after the break, the Buffaloes opened their account for the day, when Curtis Sidebottom, crashed over out wide for an unconverted try, narrowing the lead to 4-12.
On 46 minutes, Parkside increased the lead when substitute Dwane Goodyear, capitalised on some poor defence, for a try, with Medley again being on target with the conversion, extending the lead to 4-18.
Just before the three-quarter mark of the game, Parkside scored again, when Ellis Robinson cross for their fourth try of the day, again converted by Medley, for what looked like an unassailable lead 4-24.
In the 64th minute, the Buffaloes fightback began. Tom White, playing on the wing, squeezed in next to the touch line for a try, converted by Aaron Henry, making the score 10-24.
In the 67th minute, following a high tackle, there was a an all pushing session, and while the referee thought that talking to the perpetrator was sufficient they crowd, and players thought otherwise and on the next play the ball, it all kicked off again, and Dwane Goodyear was despatched to the sin-bin.
Two minutes later, centre Nathan Hammond was over the line for an unconverted try, narrowing the lead to 14-24.
In the 74th minute, following a tackle, trouble brewed up again, and Buffaloes Aiden Baranyi and Parksides Adam Biscomb were sent off.
With two minutes of normal time left Buffaloes captain Brad Wilson threw a dummy and skipped through the defensive line. Aaron Henry converted the try but was made to retake the conversion again as the referee wasn’t ready, again successfully, narrowing the Hunslet Club Parkside’s lead to 20-24.
Two minutes into injury time, Wilson snook through the smallest of gaps from dummy half, to level the scores at 24 all. With Henry adding his third conversion of the afternoon to put the Buffaloes in front for the first time in the game, 26-24.
From the resulting Kick off the Hunslet Club, put the ball high in the air looking for a mistake. The Buffaloes safely claimed the ball and drove it forwards, two tackles later the referee blew for time. And the Buffaloes had the right result, which even 15 minutes earlier looked in doubt. The come back of all come backs and a great advertisement for the Yorkshire Men’s League.
The Buffaloes are at home again next Saturday 29th July against King Cross Park. 2.30 pm kick off at Bramley Phoenix.
Team line-ups
Bramley Buffaloes: 1) Aaron Henry, 2) Tom White, 20) Nathan Hammond, 4) Kieran Hudson, 3) Dan Baranyi, 16) Connor McGill, 15) Brad Wilson ©, 18) Charlie McMurray, 9) Cameron McLachlan, 10) Ben Worrincy, 11) Tom Langton, 12) Curtis Sidebottom, 13) Aiden Baranyi, Subs (all used); 14) Alex Coop, 19) Tony Cowley, 8) Martin Slack, 17) Richard Fenty.
Tries: Sidebottom (42), White (64), Hammond (69), Wilson (78, 80+2)
Goals: Henry 3 from 5
Hunslet Club Parkside: 1) Luke Medley, 2) Jake Southern, 3) Scott Sharpe, 4) Dean Bowles, 5) Ellis Robinson, 6) Jay Cunningham, 7) Amraz Hamed, 8) Craig West, 9) Chris Boyce, 10) Mark Stubley, 11) Scott Armitage, 12) Adam Smith, 13) Lee Kelley, Subs (all used); 14) Dwane Goodyear, 15) Max Lights, 16) Adam Biscomb, 17) Ryan Croft
Tries: Kelley (13), Smith (35), Goodyear (46), Robinson (58)
Goals: Medley 4 from 4