Sandal 17 Clifton 31

Clifton are one match away from Twickenham after scoring 20 unanswered points in the last 26 minutes to beat a gutsy Sandal in the Intermediate Cup quarter-finals.

The South West One leaders looked to be heading out of the national knock-out competition after an error strewn and penalty-ridden first-half performance.

Trying to be too flashy, Clifton blew numerous chances in the first half after winger Rob Viol had crossed the whitewash on two minutes.

Wakefield-based Sandal hit back through Simon Hall on nine minutes. Greg Wood converted and then added a penalty 10 minutes before the break after second row Darren Barry had been sent to the sin bin for not releasing.

Player-coach John Barnes replied with a penalty on 37 minutes but it got worse for Clifton shortly after half time when Wood’s cut-out pass sent hooker Sam Tee in under the sticks. Wood converted.

Clifton made a double change, sending forwards Sam Wilkes and John Levis on, and the pair inspired the pack to take the game to their opposite eight.

Barnes hit a penalty on 54 minutes and four minutes later the visitors led again after flanker Graham Hardy touched down following a quickly taken tap penalty. Barnes added the extras.

The player-coach, not himself after fighting flu this last fortnight, started to come to life and pinned Sandal deep in their own half.

Barnes nudged Clifton further ahead with a penalty on 64 minutes and superbly converted from the touchline after Viol had squeezed over at the corner 11 minutes later.

He landed a drop goal on 79 minutes to extend the visitors lead and, in injury time, Sandal’s frustrations got the better of them after replacement Ashley Norbury was sent to the sin bin for a block on Clifton wing Ollie Sills.