Yarnbury Gets First Win of the Season

match report by John Rawson

The only change from the narrow reverse at Wetherby last week was Luke Cowley in on the right wing for unavailable Grahame Maycock as The Horsforth side welcomed newcomers Otliensians to Yorkshire Two League following their promotion last season.

Immediately Yarnbury were in a hurry to get points on the board and had their share of territorial position in the first ten minutes but were not helped by the slippy ball in the sudden downpour putting the ball down in an attacking position and then with the line open on the right slow passing gave the opponents chance to stop the final pass when an opening looked possible.On seven minutes Yarnbury took the lead from a penalty with the Otliensians back’s caught offside.Yarnbury knocked on again in an attacking position near the away sides 22 metre line and from a good attacking scrum made the Otliensians scrum half Jack Wragg send out a weak pass and the subsequent kick out of defence was charged down by centre Nathan Benton who gathered and scored under the posts .Pound added the conversion to give Yarnbury a 10 –0 advantage up hill in the rain.

Otliensians countered through their backs with both centre’s making yardage but the defence held firm on the last tackle with the conditions making holding the ball difficult.Yarnbury had concerted pressure around the 20 minute mark loosing the ball over the line after pinching a line out .However,the opponents did not learn and gave away another offside penalty for the Yarnbury forwards to win the line out from consistent throwing in from hooker Tom Gilcrist to George Bowen for second row James Falgate to crash over and Danny Pound concentrating to add the extra’s.With a 17 point advantage the score was a good cushion for the home side but the efforts of Otliensians were plain to see and they looked dangerous on the break out.Finally getting points on the board when wing Connor Bateman ghosted diagonally through the cover to score left of the posts after a fine run.Stand Off Will Cooper missing the conversion.

The points buoyed the opponents and they made the slope count for the final few minutes but the defence held firm.

The second half was more of the same with Yarnbury down the slope mainly making ground from the boot of full back George Oldridge after an early penalty from Pound increased the Yarnbury lead.Apart from an attacking line out where Yarnbury were penalised for accidentally offside and a George Oldridge run down the left touch line the game degenerated into a midfield war of attrition with both defences on top.Yarnbury lost line out;s at crucial times and the opponents looked too predictable with the ball where the Yarnbury spread defence contained their opponents.As with the end of the first half Otliensians tried to reduce the arrears with some concerted pressure up the slope in the last few minutes but Yarnbury held firm to take the win.