Hunt stars as go for a stroll the Dogs in Park

■By GARETH DANIELS

Sale FC………….. 24pts

Sedgley Park .. 18pts

Tries: Walsh 14 Roberts 24, 53 Hunt 59

Conversions: Hunt 54, 60

Tries: Henderson 22 Ailes 50

Conversions: Seals 23, 51

Penalties: Seals 30, 66

THE first home game of the season for the blue and whites threw up a game against their nearest neighbours, Sedgley Park Tigers ,but it was a clash they would ultimately win.

The match kicked off under bright blue skies with both sides carrying attacking threats in the early stages.

The game was just five minutes old when the visiting Rhys Henderson illegally stopped an attack resulting in him seeing yellow.

It was Sale, them, who scored first when Tom Walsh charged down an attempted clearance before collecting a long pass from James Robins to score out wide, with William Hunt missing the conversion.

The Tigers went in front in the 22nd minute when, from a five-metre scrum, the ball was flung towards the touch line for winger, Rhys Henderson, to score. Fly-half Warren Seals adding the extras for a 7-5 lead.

The Dogs retook the lead straight from the restart when Walsh picked up a loose ball and offloaded perfectly for outside-centre Osian Roberts to dash in. 10-7.

A penalty from Seals levelled the scores in the 30th minute and despite plenty of pressure from Sale near the try line, the scores remained locked at 10-10 at the half-time interval. The away side were soon knocking on the door at the start of the second half, but stout defence from the home side denied them any points on the board.

When the Dogs lost Stone Priestley-Nangle to a yellow card in the 48th minute, the Tigers took full advantage with a strong maul to the line finished off by Ben Gregory with support from the pack. 10-15

The tit-for-tat nature of the game continued just three minutes later when Roberts picked up a bouncing ball on halfway and left the opposition trailing in his wake to score his second try of the after noon.

Replacement fly-half Hunt. adding the extras to see the home side hold a slender two-point advantage.

Minutes later Sale were awarded a penalty 35 metres out, but Hunt was unable to find the target.

He would, however, make amends with the crucial score in the 59th minute when Hunt brilliantly intercepted a pass in midfield to run in from 50 metres before adding the extras. 24-15.

A penalty from Seals in the 66th minute reduced the arrears to six points but, despite late possession and territory for the visitors, they could not prevent Sale from securing their second bonus-point win of the season as the hosts held on for a 24-18 victory.