Yorkshire Division One: Bradford Salem 30 York 27

BRADFORD Salem secured a morale-boosting five-point victory at home to high-flying York to move up to ninth.

The game was in stark contrast to the previous week's narrow loss to Selby as this time it was Salem who managed to stage a remarkable comeback after trailing 27-11 with 30 minutes remaining.

The players and supporters of both sides had a major scare at the start of the game as, straight from the kick off, West Yorkshire Society referee Graeme Hall went down injured.

However, it turned out that he'd had his foot stood on during the kick chase, and, thankfully, he was able to resume after receiving treatment from Salem physio Louis Chaudron.

The interruption in play clearly had little affect on the Salem players, as, from the first scrum of the game, slick handling in the backs, created an overlap on the right allowing winger Ryan Smith to score in the corner to give the hosts an early 5-0 lead.

However, the visitors hit back straight from the restart as some poor midfield defending enabled outstanding centre Tom Newitt to burst through to score a fine try, improved by full back George Davis to put York 7-5 in front.

Davis extended the visitors' lead to 10-5 with a penalty but Salem centre Danny Belcher responded when York were guilty of handling in a ruck to bring the scoreline to 10-8.

Salem then suffered a nightmare 20-minute period, and some woeful and uncharacteristic weak tackling gifted tries to winger Hugh Nicholson and scrum half Toby Atkins, Davis converting the latter to give the Minstermen a 22-8 advantage.

The Bradford side were now under the cosh, and had York not been penalised for a truck-and-trailer offence at a line-out on their opponents' try-line, they may well have added to their tally.

As it happened, the Salem players could have perhaps considered themselves fortunate to be only 22-11 down at the break after Belcher kicked his second penalty.

After six minutes of the second half, Salem full back Kodie Brook made a hash of a speculative chip through to hand Newitt his second try to give York a healthy 27-11 lead.

To their credit, the Bradford players didn't let their heads drop and responded almost immediately when No 8 Christian Baines showed both strength and determination to drive over from a catch and drive and, although Belcher missed the conversion, Salem were given renewed hope with the score at 27-16.

Five minutes later, after both veteran lock John Morrell and flanker Callum Manchester were held up agonisingly short of the line, the ball was shipped wide, allowing Baines to score his second try, Belcher landing a magnificent conversion from the touchline to get the hosts back to within a score at 27-23.

The visitors were clearly rattled and their cause wasn't helped when, with five minutes remaining, Newitt went from hero to villain as he received a yellow card for tackling a man without the ball.

With two minutes left, Salem made their one-man advantage count as more swift handling produced sufficient space for Belcher to burst through for a try he improved himself to seal a famous 30-27 win.