With a number of key players missing due to injuries and unavailability a youthful Phoenix side took the field determined to make the most of their opportunity to keep the 1st XV shirt in the final few games of the season.

The first ten minutes were competitive with both sides attacking from depth and defending aggressively with the young Phoenix side holding their own.

Sandbach then dominated and took control of the game and a pattern of strong running and weak Phoenix defence sadly repeated itself for the rest of the first half with Phoenix also on the wrong end of some high and heavy tackles. Phoenix suffered another setback with the early loss of the influential Fraser Leiper with a hamstring injury and a heavy knock to Keiron Phillips who would return to the field in the second half.

Sandbach ran in five tries which were all well converted by their young outside half to give them an unassailable 42-0 half-time lead. It was a tough learning experience for Phoenix who had also made breaks but lacked the cutting edge and finishing precision of their opponents who punished 25 minutes of poor Phoenix defence.

To their credit Phoenix did not capitulate and rose to the challenge in the second half. They matched Sandbach and played their best attacking rugby with notable contributions from Quinn Leggot, Connor Malpass, both Lex and Lonnie Fenton, Ben Sengelow and Josh Yemm impacting from the bench to name just a few.

Phoenix restored some pride after a 40m break by Sai Tobeyweni was recycled and Oli Gomes (pictured) darted through to deservedly get Phoenix on the scoreboard. Tom O’Brien was unable to add the extras in to a swirling wind.

Sandbach were gifted an immediate response when a long pass in midfield was intercepted on halfway with the grateful recipient scoring under the posts for an easy conversion. The home side then created another opportunity for their dangerous left winger who finished expertly in the corner with the missed conversion to make the score 54-5.

The final score of the game went to Phoenix when the referee awarded a penalty try as the visitors approached the line.

The final few minutes became scrappy and tempers flared near the touchline after some heavy shots went unpunished by the referee and both sets of players became frustrated taking matters in to their own hands.

Perhaps sensibly the referee called an end to proceedings with the home side running out deserved 54-12 winners. Phoenix will need the same resilience shown in the second half in next weeks local derby with Scunthorpe in the same competition. Both sides enjoyed away victories in the league and Phoenix will be keen to claim local bragging rights as relegation means the sides will not meet next season.

Match report by Mark Jasnikowski.