The Saxons came away from Huddersfield with another priceless bonus point win, this one secured despite a late arrival after a journey disrupted by roadworks. They will know however that they left points on the pitch in a game lacking intensity against opponents offering little more than damage limitation, and that they only really got into top gear during a purple patch that produced 5 tries either side of half time.

The Saxons kicked off, exerting early pressure from a solid lineout that drew a hand in the ruck from Huddersfield’s loosehead prop. Up stepped Caolan Ryan, over went the kick. 2min 0-3.

From the restart Huddersfield secured a lineout in the Saxons half but overthrew their jumper, allowing Mark George to recover at the tail. The Saxons coughed the ball up in the tackle but Huddersfield couldn’t move it so opted to kick but then gave away another penalty for going off their feet post-tackle. Pete White looked to inject some dynamism from a quick tap and the move reached the Huddersfield 22 before the Saxons knocked on.

After some scrappy play the hosts conceded a penalty for holding on in the tackle which Ryan drilled into touch back in their 22. The lineout was secured but the Saxons were guilty of taking the ball too static into subsequent phases so failed to penetrate and eventually gave away a penalty when Will Hurrell held on too long in the tackle. The hosts missed the touch kick though and then conceded a kickable penalty in their own 22 for side entry at the tackle. Ryan stepped up and slotted his 2nd 3 pointer, 12min 0-6.

The Saxons pack then turned the screw at a scrum, forcing a penalty as the hosts’ pack were shoved back at pace and disintegrated. The Saxons next 2 attacks stalled however as they coughed it up in contact both times, but Huddersfield’s attack could offer little bar deep kicks downfield. The next time the Saxons reached the hosts’ 22 they reverted to the percentages with a lineout throw to Robbie Hurrell followed by a driving maul. Sure enough this started to pull in the opposition pack as it advanced towards the try line. It was halted by an illegal side entry but the Saxons scented blood and booted an eminently kickable penalty into the corner. The catch & drive was duly repeated and it was Drew Harper who emerged grinning with the ball as it was forced over the tryline. The conversion went wide but the scoreboard had ticked over to 0-11after 26min.

The Saxons’ next drive started from a short 22m drop & recovery by Mark George. He found James Rodley & Tom Jarvis in support to his left, setting up a ruck from which Pete White found a long touch in the hosts’ 22. Rich Stott stole the lineout throw enabling the Saxons’ backs to attack a misaligned defence. Caolan Ryan delayed his pass nicely, allowing Will Hurrell to attack the outside shoulder of his opponent, scorching round him to score untouched. The conversion went wide but that made it 0-16 after 33min.

The Saxons mounted another 2 attacks before the halftime whistle but were guilty of trying to force the plays against a stubborn Huddersfield defence that lined up patiently phase after phase. Half time 0-16, the Saxons opted to enjoy the sunshine in the middle of the pitch rather than the crowded changing room. Neil Mitchell’s stock phrases ‘composure’, patience, ‘don’t force it’ and ‘play the phases’ doubtless got an airing.

The hosts kicked off and were quickly on the back foot deep in their own half following a careless late hit on Caolan Ryan as he returned a kick ahead. The Saxons’ attack runners started hitting the ball from depth and were noticeably more dynamic, though referee Edmunds penalised their front row for packing not square at a scrum.

Huddersfield attempted to flood the right channels in an attack but got nowhere and eventually ran out of options and kicked ahead. Rich Stott took another clean lineout and fed Pete White off the top, the ball was moved left to Tom Jarvis who came into the line at pace and blasted down the left touchline. The last defender drawn he fed Gary Dipple running inside in support, he touched down behind the sticks for the easiest of conversions. 49min, 0-23.

On came Jordan Page, Nick Adams & Will Jones. The score and substitutions resulted in the Saxons taking their eye off the ball both physically and metaphorically however, Caolan Ryan knocking on the deep restart kick which was recovered by the hosts, moved quickly right then left to the hosts’ no.8 who spotted a mismatch in a misaligned defence and breezed in for a try their scrum half converted. 50min 7-23.

Robbie Hurrell got under a textbook restart kick but Jordan Page couldn’t quite gather the loose ball. No matter, Huddersfield were comprehensively driven off their own scrum ball and the Saxons were back in attack. The hosts recovered it but could make little distance with their touch kicks and found themselves back under pressure. A big drive on the next attacking scrum kept the hosts’ back row bound that extra split second, allowing Drew Harper to drive to the right where he found Pete White in support with a simple 2 on 1 that he fed to Nathan Bressington who strolled over unopposed in the corner. Conversion missed but the 4 try bonus point secured, 7-28 after 59min.

Nigel Mukarati was penalised for slipping his bind at a subsequent scrum, but Huddersfield’s hooker threw not straight at the lineout enabling Drew Harper to make another drive from the base of the scrum. The ball was moved right through phases before coming back left where Will Hurrell found Rich Stott & Nigel Mukarati in support outside him. With an overlap created some simple draw & give passing put Mukarati clear to run 50m to score in the left corner, again unconverted. 63min, 7-33.

Ben Barkely had come on and introduced some trademark direct running and robust defence. A colleague was guilty of a very unsympathetic man & ball pass to him however that opened him up to a big hit that he did well to get up and walk away from. The Saxons forced a late attacking scrum deep in the hosts’ 22 but the assistant referee spotted Adam Sturdy slipping his bind and Huddersfield were able to lift the pressure with a touch kick from the penalty.

The Saxons continued to press attacks but these were thwarted by loose kicks or passes as they reverted back to their earlier bad habits in trying to force the plays against Huddersfield’s well organised defence, which simply absorbed the pressure then kicked deep. The final whistle sounded with the score 7-33.

Reflecting on the game Director of Rugby Neil Mitchell observed ‘I was of course very pleased with a 5 point away win – a massive confidence booster – but we struggled at times to cope with a rugby league type rush defence which is something we’re going to have to get used to on the road. Our intensity levels were well down on last week and some of the players went missing 2nd half, we will definitely need to step up for the home game against Stockport next Saturday’.