Heath and Cleckheaton, together with Driffield, were games that, pre-Christmas, York needed to target as wins to improve their league position. After the frustration of the Driffield game, York found their grit and secured a gutsy win against Heath. Cleckheaton had been a handful when they came to York and were not envisaged to be a pushover at home prior to the game starting. It was even more commendable therefore to see York secure the result that has so often eluded them this season and last – an away win running out 7-15 winners.

The first half was a fair reflection of a game between two sides, close to each other in performances so far this season. Reflected in their respective league positions; Cleckheaton sitting two places and four points ahead of York. Cleckheaton creating a lot of pressure mixing their play up with straight running from their big threequarters and clever kicks to keep York on the turn and often having to defend on the back foot. York’s defence was up to the task and posed their own threats with solid carrying by the forwards, lively breaks from half back and hard running in the three quarters; territory and possession was equally shared in the first quarter.

It was a yellow card that arguably created the difference between the two sides, Cleckheaton being penalised for a high tackle. Two minutes later Ashman exploited the advantage coming on to the ball with some pace in the centre having followed the ball from the left wing. Seemingly floating across the ground he challenged the gap in the back line, half dummied the defence and ghosted in for the try to the right of the posts. Davis converted. Cleckheaton 0, York 7. Cleckheaton weren’t phased by the score and quickly responded with a try of their own. Dale Breakwell had tried several times to play ‘the forward pass’ kicking cross field for the wings to collect without success. Finally, he connected with Hunter who fed back inside to Noble who managed to cross and ground the ball despite the efforts of the York defence that came close to knocking the ball from him with the strength of the tackle. It was York’s turn to lose a man as Fothergill was, harshly, deemed to have intentionally obstructed Tom Breakwell after he had chipped over him. The half finished as a close affair with both sides’ attack being met with stern defence. Atkin fizzed at 9 for York injecting variety and pace into the game sniping from the breakdown gaining good ground but ultimately not managing to clear the industrious Cleckheaton defence. Dale Breakwell continued to maintain field position for Cleckheaton with accurate kicking from hand. Both sides finished the half with a full complement of players.

The second half was anticipated to be more of the same; it was going to be a nail biter again. York though had other ideas and played the second half entirely in the Cleckheaton half. Cleckheaton gave away 13 penalties to York’s one, such was the pressure that York exerted. Increasingly dominant up front, strong carrying notably by Goulding and Enslin in the back row making good yards that had Cleckheaton constantly on the back foot. Not be left out of the party, Jackson and Coe (when on for Jackson) joined in to good effect, along with the rest of the pack in turn. With little change from a York defence that did not understand what giving ground meant, Cleckheaton were forced to kick for territory. Thank you very much said Davis who intelligently pinned Cleckheaton right back where they started with great aplomb and no little kicking ability out of hand of his own. Barrick’s appetite for the tackle, and aggression in it, is something to behold as is the broad grin on his face as he gets up from them. Not the largest player on the field by any means, he packs a punch way above his weight and is constantly looking for more targets irrespective of their size and where they may be on the field.

Ten minutes into the half, a solid scrum for York allowed Atkin to feed what looked like innocuous first phase ball to the three quarters. Suddenly Barrick was through a gap and behind the Cleckheaton defence. Feeding to Fordy who in turn fed back to Barrick, Woffendin was released on the right wing to race the 30 plus metres to the line, crossing in the right hand corner. Davis couldn’t quite make the conversion, Cleckheaton 7, York 12.

Shackleton distributed ball in hand with good skill and vision, but it was his feet that kept the opposition guessing. He has an ability to play what is in front of him and in addition to his passing skill, his clever grubber kicks kept the defence on their toes. It was his dazzling feet again that mesmerised the Cleckheaton defence as he shimmied his way through it cutting right then left and right again, eventually being pulled down by a desperate defence a few metres short of the line. York sealed the game with two minutes to go as Davis slotted over a penalty to take the score to 7-15 in favour of York. Did he know it would deny Cleckheaton a losing bonus point and put us on equal points in the league?

York could have perhaps scored more points on the day, with their enthusiasm to keep the move going, leading to errors, where a little more patience may have enabled the score to come from subsequent phases. However, this was a thoroughly entertaining, intelligent performance against tricky opposition that saw them close out the game with confidence and composure. Sandal next week, and we start all over again.

Cleckheaton: Marshall, Hunter, Noble, Brambani, Symonds, Breakwell D, Breakwell T, Jackson, Bennett, Piper, Barnard, Plunkett, Wilson, Flanagan, Marsden. Rep: Goldthorpe, Cheney, Howarth.
York: Davis, Woffendin, Barrick, Fordy, Ashman, Shackleton, Atkin, Westaby, Consterdine, Jackson, Croft, Stockton, Fothergill, Goulding, Enslin. Rep: Coe, Forbes, Walters.