Salem's defence is crucial (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Salem's defence is crucial

7:20pm Sunday 11th November 2007 in Sport By Sports Desk

Bradford Salem 15, Huddersfield YMCA 5

Bradford Salem eased their relegation worries with a well-earned victory over fellow strugglers Huddersfield YMCA in Yorkshire Division One yesterday.

Salem dominated in the early stages and their efforts were rewarded with a well-taken try from winger Chris Luxton after ten minutes. Fly half Matt Booth landed the difficult conversion to give his side a 7-0 lead.

However, the Heaton side seemed to go off the boil and, in the second quarter, YMCA began to take control.

Salem's cause was not helped when influential full back Joe Simpson left the field with an ankle injury, replacement Guy Willows coming on to the wing and Chris Savva taking over at full back.

The disruption resulted in Salem having to defend in their own 22 and, after Salem conceded a line-out five metres out, the visitors scored from a well-worked catch and drive to reduce the arrears to 7-5 at half-time.

In the second half, props Simon Davies and Craig Buxton began to exert increasingly pressure in the scrums and YMCA were suddenly on the back foot.

After a number of scrums on the visitors' line, No 8 Jonny Luxton broke from the base and, although he was held up inches short of the line, scrum behalf Ian Woodwiss was on hand to score from close range.

Booth was unable to land the conversion in the swirling wind but Salem were ahead 12-5.

YMCA tried to play a more expansive game in the latter stages but a determined Salem defensive display began to force a number of handling errors.

With five minutes remaining, Booth struck an excellent drop goal from 30 metres to seal a hard-fought victory which moves them above their opponents in the league table.