Bradford Salem 60 Acklam 34

MAX Trueman has only been playing rugby union for three weeks but has quickly made a significant impact in the other code.

The 21-year-old West Bowling full back has already bagged seven tries – two in his debut for the second team a fortnight previously, two more in his first-team debut at Yarnbury last weekend and three in his first-team home debut against Acklam.

Trueman said: "I know a few of the lads down here and I have come to keep fit before I play for West Bowling in the National Conference League in the new year.

"I don't know when I will be available until but, although the lads have been helping me, union is harder to learn than I expected."

In a Yorkshire Division Three game of 94 points that would have given defensive coaches a headache and a sleepless night, 15 tries were scored – ten by Salem and five by Acklam, whose point for four tries was the first away they have gained all season.

However, they led 10-5 after 24 minutes and were threatening to add a first win on the road to the two they had just gained at home.

Trueman said: "We started disappointingly and Andy Robinson (captain) and Christian Baines (vice-captain) got us in a huddle and told us to sort ourselves out."

The visitors took advantage of Baines being sin-binned for a high tackle in the seventh minute with a try four minutes later from prop James Bowtell-Potter, which skipper Dan Ashton converted.

Although lock John Morrell replied with a rare try in the 18th minute, Ashton – who later went off with a suspected broken nose after a clash of heads – added a penalty six minutes later to make it 10-5.

He was then short with a long-range shot at goal before Salem showed their attacking prowess in spades, scoring four tries in 15 minutes up to the interval.

Good hands in front of the stand and a bullocking run by prop and man of the match Tom O'Sullivan set up Trueman for his first and he then pounced on a sublime Robinson kick four minutes later.

A delayed Robinson pass gave Salem's latest cross-code convert his hat-trick and quick hands then put left winger Kodie Brook over in stoppage time, full back Danny Belcher converting three of them for a healthy 31-10 lead.

Acklam were first to strike in the second half with a try by influential flanker Andy Dalton but they suffered a heavy punishment for having replacement Ben Pearson sin-binned for a spear tackle on hooker Ali Veitch – who landed on his shoulders, otherwise the punishment would surely have been a straight red card.

Baines and right winger Ryan Smith, who ran 70 yards after intercepting a Ricky Scott pass, found the whitewash, with Belcher adding another conversion.

Scott and Salem flanker Nick Fontaine then scored tries before several determined runs from distance brought tries past some weak tackling.

Acklam winger Josh Abraham, Brook and Salem replacement back Jake Abram were the players to profit from shabby defence, with Pearson crossing in injury time to complete an amazing match that was well refereed by the experienced Mike Ramsden (North Yorkshire Society).

Belcher and Scott (2) added the late conversions, with second-bottom Acklam – who are now level on points with North Ribblesdale and two ahead of Yarnbury – showing enough spirit to make their seventh-tier survival odds in favour rather than odds against.