Yorkshire One: Bradford Salem 71 Sheffield Medicals 36

BRADFORD Salem are back in Yorkshire Division One after a four-year absence.

They clinched promotion after twice being behind against relegation-threatened Sheffield Medicals, most worryingly when the hosts conceded 13 points in the opening eight minutes of the second half to trail 29-26.

However, victory, and the return to the seventh tier where they probably belong, proved a bitter-sweet experience for veteran prop John Bradbury and his colleagues – indeed for everyone associated with the Heaton club.

The rearranged match was played on the first anniversary of Salem director of rugby Craig Busby’s death and, ironically bearing in mind that the original fixture was postponed after 31 minutes when referee Steve Richings broke a tibia, contained another broken bone.

Salem’s Paul Thomas, who at 43 is two years older than fellow replacement Bradbury, suffered a fractured and dislocated left ankle just two minutes after coming onto the field, and was due to undergo surgery this afternoon.

Rather than wait for the ambulance to tend to him and take him away, the final 11 minutes were played up top on the second-team pitch, where Salem, by now dominant, scored the last four of their 11 tries.

Bradbury revealed afterwards: “After we were demoted in 2010-11, I went round the changing room and said to all of the lads who had taken the club down ‘It is up to us to get us back up.

“Unfortunately, it has taken us a bit longer than we hoped, and there is only John Morrell, Jamie Booth, Jordan Ashworth and Simon Markey left at the club from four years ago who have played for the first team this season.

“We suffered horrendous injuries that season and we have finished third twice and fifth since then but I just don’t think we were ready for promotion before.

“Now we have the strength in depth, and we have already beaten three Yorkshire Division One teams this season in the Yorkshire Shield.

“John Morrell, who is 40, and myself have both said that we will play for another season as we want to play in Yorkshire One.”

As for the depth of feeling that Bradbury holds for Busby, he said: “Buzzer asked me five seasons ago to switch from the back row to the front row, and I wouldn’t have done it if anyone else had asked me.”

Second-from-bottom Medicals, who were on the right end of a penalty count that was about a four to one ratio in their favour – something Salem must correct in the next campaign – got tries from centre Mike Davies (2) and winger Luke Housego, with Davies adding five penalties and three conversions for a personal tally of 31 points.

Salem bagged tries via prop Simon Davies (3), centre Ryan Smith (3), flankers Rhys Green (2) and Conor Wood (2) and full back Danny Belcher, who added eight conversions.