Although on paper, a bonus point win over SSE Yorkshire Division 2 strugglers Sheffield Medicals should have been a formality, Salem needed to be reminded that they had never before tasted victory at Norton Playing Fields having suffered defeat on their previous 2 visits.

Despite the fact that the students came into the game on the back of 7 consecutive losses, they started with surprising confidence and soon had their high-flying opponents on the back foot. The Medics playing with the wind at their backs, deservedly took a 5-0 lead when they crossed the whitewash from a catch and drive but Salem hit back when outstanding full-back Danny Belcher scored a brilliant individual try which he improved himself to nudge the visitors 7-5 ahead.

The Medics regained the lead with a penalty and extended their advantage to 13-7 after they scored in almost identical fashion to their first try, the home side once again capitalising from a well-worked catch and drive.

Salem's indiscipline at the breakdown meant that they were on the wrong end of a 10-1 penalty count much to the annoyance of National League referee Simon Lazenby who was officiating as part of his comeback from injury. Nevertheless, on the stroke of half time Belcher crossed the line for his second try and although he pulled the resulting conversion wide, the visitors were perhaps fortunate to go into the break with only a one point deficit.

After a rallying cry from Director of Rugby Sam Gardner whose introduction at inside centre after a long injury lay off seemed to give his side more direction, Salem emerged a different team in the second half. After a period of pressure, they regained the lead with a Belcher penalty before good handling in the backs put centre Chris Clough over on the left for a fine try improved by Belcher to give the Bradford outfit a 22-13 advantage.

The killer blow came in 62nd minute when a loose pass from the Medics when in a good position was intercepted and Ryan Smith raced 60 metres to score an excellent try, Belcher adding the extras to give the visitors an unassailable 29-13 lead.

Minutes later Clough got over for his second try and with the scoreline at 36-13 in Salem's favour after Belcher's fourth successful conversion, it looked like they would run away with the game. However, with 10 minutes remaining Salem were reduced to 14 men when, of all people, Gardner was sent to the sin-bin for an illegal tackle and the visitors spent the rest of the game defending on their own line before running out worthy winners.