York made the longest trip of the season and finished the 2014/2015 campaign in style, securing a 5 point haul. The home team came into the game on an eight game winning streak, having turned their season around post-Christmas. Confidence was high with the home team and a close game was expected.

North Ribb kicked off with the wind at their backs and looked to use the advantage to pin York back in their own half. In the first ten minutes, this looked as if it might be the case; only some stout defence by York, including an excellent individual effort by Josh Britland kept North Ribb at bay. The home team then changed their tactics and chipped a ball through for their pacey winger to chase. The ball bounced kindly for the Settle sprinter and he touched down for the first score. The conversion missed, the home team were up 5 – 0.

York were unphased by the score and used the restart to launch their own attached; a knock on by North Ribb allowed Marcus Britland to steal the ball and charge up to the 22m line. Whilst slowing down and looking for support the York number 8 realised he had the momentum to make the line on his own, touching down to equal the score. George Davis stepped up and kicked the first of his five conversions to put York 5 – 7 to the good.

York built more pressure and were camped 5 meters out from the try line for 5 minutes. A series of penalties, line-outs, catch and dives and scrums failed to give York the score as the referee called ‘held-up’ a number of times. Eventually the men in green and black moved the ball two phases wide and the ever-present Meredith crossed for York’s second try. Davis good with the boot, York 5 – 14 up.

Now in full flow, York were chasing the try bonus point and Dave Bates added to his tally for season, taking the ball on half way and setting of on one of his mazy runs. Confusing the defending number 13, who ended up on the floor, Bates scored under the posts. With the conversion, the score moved to 5 – 21. The home team were unwilling to give up so early in the game and launched a steady period of attack. The York defence held up well, forcing North Ribb to make little ground. A penalty for offside gave the home team the opening they needed; a quick tap was missed by York and a soft try scored. The conversion hit; the score 12 – 21.

The scrum was performing particularly well for York and giving them sound platform from which to attack. Ultimately, the fourth try and bonus point came up before the end of the first half as York used the scrum to launch an attack; Bates drove the ball into the North Ribb half towards to the right hand corner. The ball was then moved right and via a very lucky blind pass from Johnson, landed with Charlie Nicholson who crossed the whitewash. 12 – 26.

York finished the half with continued strong defence but were caught offside and North Ribb were given a penalty that they opted to kick for the posts. The kick missed, the half time score was 12 – 26.

York started the second half with the wind behind them and initially used the advantage well, drawing a penalty and setting up a driving lineout in the home team’s 22. Three phases later, Josh Britland chased his own chip through to score. Davis converted again to move the score on to 12 – 33. The visitors used the restart to empty their bench with Coe, Thompson and Fletcher coming on for Blain, Marcus Britland and Hartley.

North Ribblesdale then showed some of the spirit that had dragged them up from the base of the league and strung some phases of attack together. The York defence initially held strong but eventually concentration levels slipped and frustratingly North Ribb scored twice in a 10 minute period to close the score to 24 – 33. York turned the game back around in the last 15 minutes of the game and scored the final two tries. Hugh Nicholson finished off an excellent chip, chase and catch by George Davis and appropriately, Captain Fox rounded off the game and the season with the last score under the posts. Davis hit the last conversion to end the game 24 – 45.

It was a fitting end to the season, with the Minster Men showing glimpses of excellent, free-flowing rugby. The game was also the final goodbye to a number of players and the Director of Rugby Pete Clegg. Club stalwart Andy Kay suggests this may have been his last game but it’s hoped this is not the last time we’ve seen Crazy-Kay in green and black. Similarly Meredith, Charlie Nicholson and Bates may be moving on to new challenges in the off-season and they go with the clubs best wishes, thanks and the knowledge that the door is always open for their return.