Bradford Salem’s first-team manager Neil Klenk is optimistic that Bob Hood will be in Heaton pub the Ring o’Bells as usual tomorrow night to take his ‘medicine’.
Yarnbury coach Hood and Klenk witnessed an astonishing SSE Yorkshire Division Two game last Saturday at Brownberrie Lane.
The hosts led 22-0 at half-time but conceded 52 unanswered points to Salem in the second half.
“I am hoping that Bob turns up for his usual Friday night rendezvous,” laughed Klenk. “And it was his birthday last Saturday too!
“The rugby league lads in our sides helped us to establish our patterns and we scored eight good tries in the last 35 minutes.
“The forwards linked well with the backs and everything clicked.
“I just hope that we can carry on at home to West Park Leeds on Saturday where we left off at Yarnbury as we have picked the same team as near as we could that ended that match.”
Although there were calls to keep Dave Hutton at hooker – he went off twice with a cut eye last weekend – Simon Markey has got the nod as he was on the pitch when all eight tries were scored.
No 8 Kris Falwasser, who also had a good game, is unavailable this weekend, so Damien Pearson switches to the back row, with John Morrell in the second row, and Jamie Booth is in the back row for the injured Jonny Luxton.
Ironically, Salem could be playing at Yarnbury again this season – in the Centurion Yorkshire Shield.
Salem, however, must first negotiate a tricky tie at Huddersfield YMCA next Wednesday (7.30).
Bradford Salem (home to West Park Leeds): C Savva; D Thomas, J Robinson, M Steel, T Williams; M Barlow, I Woodwiss; C Buxton, S Markey, S Davies, A Savin, J Morrell, J Cunliffe, D Pearson, J Booth. Replacements: J Bradbury, D Hutton, O Shaw.
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