York 1st VX v Yarnbury 1st XV

York 21 – 18 Yarnbury –Yorks 1 League

Yarnbury had arranged all four games against league rivals York who had their lively ex Yarnbury scrum half Toby Atkin back for the clash.Yarnbury had won this fixture at home earlier in the season but fortunes have changed due to injuries to the Horsforth side since then,
York started brightly and applied early pressure to earn a penalty in front of the posts, stand off Neil McClure converting. The Yarnbury pack responded in kind and good ball found dangerous centre Jason Avison breaking clear for the line only to be tackled by Campbell Thomson the York back row to stop the threat.Yarnbury camped in the York 20m and were rewarded with a penalty, the first of many, converted by full back Pound, 3-3.The game became disjointed as a series of injuries, mistakes and infringements prevented any momentum with York ruining attacking territory with consecutive penalties. Yarnbury capitalising on this with a series of drives for the line from their pack before the ball was moved out to winger Lee Mortimer on the left which put him in the clear following a smart flipped pass over the last defender from prop John Dodgson to give Yarnbury a deserved lead as they were totally dominated at this stage.Yarnbury were being led by the experience of Stephen Riley from stand off and with Graham Maycock and Jason Avison making a solid midfield York had no where to go and were constantly offside at the break down with the pack spreading across the field and refusing to commit too many into the rucks.putting Yarnbury on the front foot.Yarnbury continued to dominate possession without carving out too many openings and conceded a penalty close in to York,Stand off Neil McClure converting to close the gap at half time when Yarnbury should have had more points on the board but impressive nevertheless into a strong breeze.

On the resumption,playing into a strong cross wind, York had an early let off when replacement kicker Kieran Davies pushed a penatly kick wide following yet another infringement by the home side – would Yarnbury pay for missed chances.York introduced their substitutes early in the second half and Yarnbury introduced prop Louis Atha also.Yarnbury defended well against a couple of York attacks and the home pack were again penalised at a scrum relieving the pressure.York were rewarded soon after with another McClure penalty for an infringement at a ruck to give York a slender lead.While second row James Falgate was in the sin bin for a technical offence Yarnbury got a penalty and Kieran Davies kicked for the corner and from the subsequent line out No8 Adam Batson rose highest supported by his props Atha and Richard Lister and took a clean catch to be swept over the try line ,wing forward Tom Holden finally getting the touchdown and with a good conversion from out wide Kieran Davies ensured Yarnbury regained the lead and with a further penalty put daylight between Yarnbury and the home side after 60 minutes at 9 – 18.So far a thorough performance by all the team with stand off Stephen Riley orchestrating a tight display across the field not allowing the York side time and space on the ball.

York had lost no8 Marcus britland for yet another offside offence after 60 minutes but when back to a full compliment and a mauling from ex Yarnbury scrum half Toby Atkin who made a break to get the pack moving York gathered themselves for an unlikely push and the forwards started to make inroads down the middle of the park and from a penalty also scored from a quick line out and a rolling maul .wing forward Josh Parker claiming the touchdown.with John Davies putting over the conversion reduced the Yarnbury lead to only two points.Things got worse for the visitors at the end of the match when right winger Will Dunlop was put away on the outside and slipped through three defenders hugging the touchline to score in the corner to give York an unlikely lead.Despite Yarnbury moving the ball wide left on the restart winger Lee Mortimer was hauled down in the 22 metre area well short of the line and despite a knock on by York Yarnbury could not capitalise with the advantage and the game was lost narrowly.