SCARBOROUGH EDGE TO SALEM SUCCESS
Scarborough extended their unbeaten run to four games with a narrow 15-13 victory over visitors Bradford Salem on a bitterly cold afternoon of driving wintery showers at Silver Royd. Missing Nino Cutino, Graham Hogg, Ben Martin, Joe Marshall, Billy Parker and Phil Watson, coach Lee Douglas’ charges started with a much re-shuffled side from their last outing at Acklam.
The conditions at kick-off with sleet, hailstones and rain driving horizontally across the paddock did not auger well for a handling game; however the Seasiders made a lively start and took the lead when flyhalf Tom Harrison chipped over a flat Salem defence and Tom Ratcliffe bustled through to get the touch in the 11th minute.
Harrison comfortably added the extras for a 7-0 Scarborough lead.
The lead was shortlived and Salem struck back five minutes later when winger Nick Fontaine finished off some slick handling on their left flank to score in the corner.
Fly-half Matt Booth failed to convert.
The handling from both sides was predictably poor with the ball having all the qualities of a wet, slippery bar of soap, however both sides stuck gamely to their task and although there was a distinct lack of spectacle the endeavour from all 30 players couldn’t be faulted.
Leading 7-5, Scarborough continued to press forward and increased their lead in the 27th minute when number eight Isaac Faamau broke from the base of a scrum to power over on the narrow side for his second try and increase the lead to 12-5.
Kicking into the crossfield wind was a nightmare and Harrison missed with his conversion attempt.
The last 10 minutes of the half proved to be a feisty period and a player from each side was sin-binned, flanker Jamie Booth for the visitors in the 29th minute and Scarborough’s Isaac Faamau in the 34th.
Although leading 12-5, Scarborough appeared to fade after the break and the West Yorkshiremen had a glut of territorial possession in the third quarter, laying siege to the home line for extended periods.
However the Seasiders’ scrambling defence, which sees them with the second best points-against tally in the league, once more served them well.
A Matt Booth penalty in the 55th minute reduced the arrears for Salem at 12-8 before flanker Chas Manchester powered over on the hour to nudge his side ahead for the first time in the game at 13-12.
Flanker Devin Ibanez came on to immediate effect and put in a big hit on the Salem receiver from the restart after the try.
He beavered away with his teammates as Scarborough looked to get back into the game.
Harrison set up a nail-biting finish with a superb pen-