U16s Win Yorkshire Bowl

Yarnbury (12) 31
York (7) 26
Tries: Josh Dunn, Jamie McDonnell (2), Keenan Dixon-Dyer, Edward Green
Cons: Maxwell Lee (3)

A close first half saw Yarnbury come away with a 5 point lead at half time. And after a strong start to the second half, a resurgent York started to come back at the home side, it took a mammoth defensive effort to end up drawing the second half, allowing Yarnbury to lift the bowl at home.

The opening minutes of the match were very tight both were well drilled but obviously nervous as the game progressed slowly. Yarnbury had the first points scoring chance, from the kicking tee, for a breakdown penalty 15 meters into the York half. But this kick drifted wide and the game continued scoreless. Territory played a large part in the game as a whole and after Yarnbury’s lineout had faltered a couple of times York noticed the weakness. This led to a few kicks that bobbled in to touch from the away side, but the first pressure lineout was one by Yarnbury and cleared up field. The York winger, who had dropped one high ball already, let this one go as well and Jamie McDonnell charged up field before Josh Dunn picked up and ran through the middle of the ruck into the 22 where he was tackled high. The ball was kicked for touch and after one maul was bought down illegally another lineout was kicked for and another maul began to drive. This didn’t quite make it to the line, so the ball was passed to Josh Dunn again, who beat a defender to score. The conversion was kicked by Maxwell Lee, and Yarnbury led by 7, 23 minutes into the final. Six minutes later Yarnbury had another score after most of the time between the tries had been spent on their own line with York looking certain to score. A rip in the tackle by Ruairi Daly saw the ball passed and then kicked clear into the hands of the York fullback, he then kicked back to Keenan Dixon-Dyer, who beat 2 men before being tackled high, but Yarnbury played the advantage as Alex Koppany picked up the ball and broke before delaying his pass to Jamie McDonnell who ran in unchallenged to the line, but was forced out wide due to a pacey back tracking defender. The conversion was missed but Yarnbury now had a 12 point lead. This lead was cut short before half time though after York battled their way into the 22. A huge defensive effort saw the travellers held up on one occasion and pushed back across the line on another. But following being awarded a penalty York quickly tapped only to be met by Saman Azari, who wasn’t 10 yards back, and so he received a yellow card. After a couple more phases another penalty was awarded and York took a scrum which drove forward before the ball was passed wide and their centre scored. The conversion was kicked, half time Yarnbury 12-7 York.

Yarnbury kicked off the second half and in the second contact Joe Pilling ripped the ball clear. A good couple of breaks from Edward Green and Oscar Andrews got the blues into the 22, before the ball was sent wide and Jamie McDonnell could score his second right in the corner. This difficult conversion was made by Maxwell Lee, and Yarnbury restored their 12 point lead. It was only 7 minutes into the second half when Yarnbury got their second of the half following a kick that was then knocked on by York inside the 22. A couple of phases were played following the scrum before the ball was given to Josh Dunn, who after hitting the contact offloaded to Keenan Dixon-Dyer, who dived over the last falling defender to score slightly closer to the posts. Though the conversion hit the cross section of the posts and bounced out; 24-7. York scored next though to put pressure back on the home side. Following a nasty head injury to Lex Galloway immediately after the kick off, York were given a scrum to restart play. They then kicked down field and under pressure Jacob Rawson did well to gather the ball but was forced back behind his own try line to touch down, giving York a 5m scrum. When the ball was dug out, it only took a couple of pick and goes before York scored near the posts. The conversion was kicked, and Yarnbury’s lead was reduced to 10. Territory was again key following the next restart with both teams kicking into space, but when the ball was taken well by Keenan Dixon-Dyer, he was able to beat two men before throwing the ball back against a defender so it would then bounce out into touch (planned, obviously). But Yarnbury gave a scrum away at this lineout after they tried to set up a maul but the opposition players didn’t engage. However this scrum was won against the head and the ball was passed to Edward Green, who scored under the posts. The conversion was kicked; 31-14.

York now had to score 3 tries at least, with time running out, and they responded quickly. They were awarded a penalty on halfway for Yarnbury players going off their feet in the ruck, they could therefore kick for a 5 meter lineout and when this was taken one of their forwards could run through a huge whole to score in the corner. The conversion was kicked and so Yarnbury’s lead was again reduced to 10. York then spent around five minutes pummelling the defensive line inside the Yarnbury 22, but a mammoth defensive effort kept them out for as long as possible before they could finally go wide and put the ball down in the corner. The conversion was dropped kicked and missed, but this meant there was still enough time for the restart. Another five minutes of play following the kick off, put a tyering Yarnbury side under so much pressure, on occaision one of their players would make ten meters before being brought down, but eventually Joe Birchall, ripped the ball away from the runner in the tackle and the ball was blasted into touch. Full time; Yarnbury 31-26 York.

Yarnbury: Keenan Dixon-Dyer, Jamie McDonnell, Josh Dunn, Edward Green (capt), Jacob Rawson, Oscar Andrews, Maxwell Lee, Saman Azari, James Longhawn, Luke Woodend, Alex Koppany, Ruairi Daly, Sam Brown, Joe Birchall, Joe Pilling

Replacements: Dan Mitchell, Jack Brownridge, Lex Galloway, Jamie Baker, Matt Schofield, Jimmy Strover