Bradford Salem 27, Hullensians 19

Bradford Salem secured a hard-fought win yesterday against a well-drilled Hullensians outfit at Shay Lane in SSE Yorkshire Division Two.

It was the first meeting between between the clubs since March 31, 1990, with Hullensians coming into the game on the back of six straight wins and Salem unbeaten in seven games.

The visitors had the better of the early exchanges and excellent ball retention put them deep into Salem territory.

The Bradford defence did well to prevent their opponents scoring in the opening quarter but the pressure was always going to tell and Hullensians took a 7-0 lead with a converted try after several phases of recycled possession created an overlap on the left.

Salem reduced the arrears to four points with a penalty from fly half Mark Barlow but were then reduced to 14 men when referee Rob Staines (Central Yorkshire) sent Romanian lock Alex Savin to the sin-bin for the over-aggressive rucking of a Hulliensians forward who was lying on the ball.

However, Savin returned to the fray with a vengeance, barging his way through several would-be tacklers for a fine try improved by Barlow to put the Heaton side in front for the first time at 10-7.

Referee Staines, who was very strict on back chat, then awarded Hullensians a penalty and fly half Jamie Gill duly obliged to bring the scores level at the break.

In the second half, Salem eventually started to put some patterns together and they were rewarded for their efforts when inside centre Matt Steel sliced through a gap for a fine try.

Barlow added the extras to put his side ahead 17-10 and shortly after kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 20-10.

However, the penalty count was starting to go in Hullensians' favour and three successful kicks from Gill got them back to within a point at 20-19 to set up a nail-biting finale.

Savin settled Salem nerves with his second try of the game and ninth of the season, although from the reaction of some of the Hulliensians there was a suspicion that he was held up short of the line.

Barlow’s successful conversion virtually sealed victory for Salem but with the seconds ticking away Gill had an opportunity to earn his side a deserved losing bonus point with a penalty from 35 metres out.

The attempt, however, drifted agonisingly wide of the uprights and Salem ran out 27-19 winners.

Following Leodiensians’ surprise home defeat to West Leeds, the promotion race is really starting to hot up.