Yarnbury v North Ribblesdale

Yarnbury 8 – 15 North Ribblesdale – Yorks 2 League

Pictures – George Oldridge try courtesy Noel Doyle

Yarnbury welcomed James Endersby into the centre in place of Joe Pinnick and Tom Gilcrist in at hooker for Tom Gilcrist while James Falgate was back in the second row and Tom Goldthorpe in the back row for the injured George Bowen.Again changes were needed due to unavailability's and work commitments for this latest league game and was effecting the performances on a weekly basis.Familiarity breeds stability and this is lacking at the moment with such a large number of players passing through the first fifteen.Added to the game today was the North ribblesdale Coach was an ex Yarnbury stand off Carl Patterson.

Yarnbury attacked in to the sun down the slope and were pinning the vistors down in their own half but were stopped well by a determined defence with good tackles on the Yarnbury back row in particular. Breaking out from their own 22 up the left side centre Matt Spiers a strong running centre converted from the back row took two defenders in the tackle and with a clever pass out of the back of his hand fed the young winger Freddie Howarth who outstripped the cover to score under the posts for an easy conversion by stand off Michael Thwaite.Somewhat against the run of play but to the credit of the home side they continued to take the play to Ribblesdale full back George Oldridge pinning them in their own 22 metre area with long punts.A forward pass from Endersby to full back Oldridge down the right stopped a promising breakaway for Yarnbury.Yet again the play was brought back when influential prop Lewis Atha was brought back for what looked like a clever interception from a Ribblesdale line out with the park opening up nicely.To rub salt in the home side’s wounds they were caught offside and Twaites slipped over a penalty to increase the lead.To make matters worse the other Ribblesdale winger gathered a dropped pass to race in for a second try which went unconverted to increase the lead.Opportunities taken by the visitors where they were squandered by Yarnbury in an even contest.

Yarnbury took the game to Ribblesdale in determined fashion in the second half with wingers Josh Bateson and Josh Bell getting ball but not breaking the gain line being marshalled into touch as the play tended to be across the pitch rather than over the gain line.Both defences were operating well to stop any breakaways.Disappointingly Yarnbur got into good positions and twice had 5 metre line outs after Ribblesdale were penalised but lost both to the opposition second rows stealing the ball and relieving the pressure.

Prop Lewisd Atha went off with injury and substitute back row James Daffern came on for his first game of the season and Yarnbury pressed for their first try probing down the middle through james Falgate and second row Paul Kernick driving it in down the middle of the park.A penalty was all they got through full back Gorge Oldridge as the game petered out until a slipped short pass from Captain James White put Oldridge through the gap for a try worth a point at the end of the match but another defeat.

Yarnbury need a settled side and a win to move forward to their new all weather pitch which is now ready for the next home game on 3rd November when the celebrations at the grand opening will include the Leodensians league game and a full programme that weekend of games and celebrations.