Yorkshire Division One

Bradford Salem 17

Bridlington 14

BRADFORD Salem have now beaten the current top three teams in the table at Shay Lane.

To the victories over York (30-27) and West Leeds (18-8) in November, the Heaton club have added that of leaders Bridlington, who went down in a contest that was always interesting and often feisty.

And it was a victory that was against the odds in more ways than one as eighth-placed Salem seemed to get little change out of referee Mike Dickinson (West Yorkshire Society) and also had two front-rowers making their debuts in Brendan Birkett and 18-year-old Josh White.

"We always get up for the big games but lose to some poor teams," explained replacement hooker Simon Markey, who added some much-needed experience to Salem's front row after being called up on Thursday night.

"But this was right up there in terms of one of the highlights of the season."

Props John Bradbury (work), Dave Luxton (watching England v Scotland at Twickenham) and Will Collins (concussion) were unavailable for Salem, leading to the debuts for White, who started, and Birkett, who came off the bench.

Markey, basically a second-teamer these says at the age of 41 who co-ordinates a burgeoning junior section, added: "I don't think that we missed a tackle and all of us gave 100 per cent, and it was good that so many of our under-14s were down there to watch."

Referee Dickinson's most baffling decisions were to award Bridlington a penalty in the 58th minute when the scrum was ten metres from their own line, to sin-bin Markey and Bridlington No 8 James Thompson eight minutes later and to disallow Andy Robinson's pushover try for Salem in the final minute.

Markey said: "The referee never did give me a reason for my yellow card, while for the penalty try he should have re-set the scrum and told their hooker to stand square, but Bridlington will still be promoted."

Salem, who were on the wrong end of a 15-4 penalty count, conceded the first three of the afternoon, but went ahead in the seventh minute from their first meaningful attack.

Fly half Matt Booth, flanker Conor Wood and centre Harry Hall – three of the home team's best players alongside No 8 Christian Baines – combined neatly before Wood had the strength to go over, Booth converting for 7-0.

The latter then added a penalty from the ten-metre line in the 23rd minute before he was late tackled five minutes later to earn Bridlington a yellow card.

A great hit by Wood apart, the rest of the half belonged to the visitors, with left winger Ben Dearing being shoved into touch in the corner in the 34th minute and Thompson getting on the end of a pushover try five minutes later, centre Gareth Roberts converting to make it 10-7.

In the second half, great tidying up by flanker Nick Fontaine not only gave Salem possession in the 48th minute but paved the way for their second try, the dangerous Wood and winger Kodie Brook combining well down the right for Brook to score.

Booth's superb touchline conversion made it 17-7 before Salem full back Ryan Smith made a try-saving tackle in their right-hand corner to deny lock Patrick Waines after the hosts had been caught napping at a line-out.

Then came the shock award of a penalty try, which Roberts converted, the double sin-binning after a fracas, a near-try for Salem's replacement winger Alex Wood, Robinson's pass going behind him, and the try for Robinson that was disallowed.

It was a breathless contest but Salem were content with the four league points to cement their place in the table.

West Leeds cut the gap at the top to 12 points, but with only four matches left it will take a major capitulation by Bridlington for them not to win the championship.