As the saying goes class always shows and it was proved right as YMCA came up against a Sale outfit still smarting from their surprise defeat at Cleckheaton – inflicting a 56-12 defeat on their visitors at Heywood Road.
Heavy rain was not going to help the Huddersfield side as the home outfit set out to endorse their promotion credentials.
From the outset the visitors looked and played like they were making up the numbers, and within minutes they were six points adrift after two penalties by Sale stand off Liam McGovern.
It was quickly followed by a procession of tries as the visitors had no answer to the power and pace of the Sale side.
First to score was scrum half Sam Stelmaszek who was on the end of a neat pass from the outstanding Jack Moorhouse, and McGovern converted.
Then a drive resulted in an unconverted try from back rower Adam Aigbokhae.
Things didn’t improve when YMCA player-coach Mark Whitehead took his a 10 minute break in the sin-bin for being offside.
Sale’s Tom Davenport then skipped through and the score try was converted by McGovern and YM were being denied the ball and unfortunately on the odd occasions they had possession they managed to lose it rapidly.
With Sale pressuring scrum half Stelmaszek was next on hand to scoop up a loose ball and go over for yet another score, leaving an easy conversion for McGovern.
Not to be left out impressive winger Moorhouse ran through the YM defence to score, leaving McGovern to add the extra points, and make the half-time score 39-0.
Things went from bad to worse when Simon Wilson left the field injured and Whitehead had to step into the scrum half slot.
From the restart it was business as usual as Sale went straight onto the attack.
Tom Van Rooyan, who had already had a head wound patched, had to leave the field with a hand injury – requiring yet another reshuffle.
Stu Dyke went to prop and Josh Wrafter was called upon to dust off his skills from his colts days when he turned out as a centre.
Aibokhae showed a super piece of individual skill to get another Sale try which went unconverted.
Within minutes the try of the day was scored by Sale hooker Scott Briggs who was on hand to cross after a scintillating 70 yard break made the finish a formality, McGovern added the goal.
There was time for Moorhouse to yet again work his magic as he glided past as many YM defenders as were prepared to have a go at tackling him, but with the line at his mercy it was Lloyd Bentley who stopped him inches short, only for the supporting scrum half Stelmaszek to dive over and take the score to 56-0.
YM then had first Noel Murphy and then James Bell yellow-carded, however the loss of two men seemed to galvanise the visitors and they heroically held out until they had a full compliment back on the field.
Finally YM decided to have a tilt at the home side and good runs from Gavin Stead and Adam Ryder took them into the Sale half, where a bit of good backing up saw Murphy make amends for his earlier misdemeanour as he plucked an awkward ball out of the air and found himself in space with just a dash for the line required to get the try.
Unfortunately Stead was off target with the conversion but at least the YM had some points.
The visitors continued to have a go and were rewarded as the game came to a close with a try by Whitehead, who picked up a ball at the base of the ruck and made a break into space to get the final converted try of the game and put a little pride back into a lacklustre YM.
There were positives from the game with Sam Fletcher, on his return to first team duty after injury, showing that he has what it takes and Greg Robertson showed that he most certainly has the skills and heart to play at this level.
Huddersfield YMCA: Stead, Bentley, Clarke, Van Rooyan, Ryder, Wilson, Wood, Moore, Hill, Wrafter, Housley, Bell, Whitehead, Dyke, Lumb. Interchange: Fletcher, Robertson, Murphy
