York travelled a short distance down the M1 to Sandal buoyed by their win the previous week over the league leaders Harrogate and hoping to make it 3 wins on the trot. Henry Du Boulay moving to Australia resulted in Luke Stockton playing at No 8 with Sam Croft slotting in to the second row. There was only one change in the backs, Liam Hessay was unavailable, so George Davies started at full back. Sandal have had a difficult start to the season having only won 2 of the 8 games played to date although they only lost by 2 points to Harrogate.

It was a dry sunny afternoon with no wind, the pitch was in good condition although does slope down to the corner and definitely favours the home side used to the slope and where on the pitch to play. The home side were well supported, and York brought a reasonable contingent to offer verbal encouragement. A 2-minute silence to remember the fallen preceded the game.

Sandal decided to play with the slope, kicked off and for the first 15 minutes York barely saw the ball as the home side enjoyed plenty of possession and kept York pinned back in their half but Sandal played with no imagination or flair and their attacks were easily defended. York’s cause was not helped by their usually solid line out misfiring.

As the first quarter of the game came to an end York began to enjoy possession and were able to spend time on the ball and build field position. A catch and drive from a line out took play into their opponent’s half. From a Sandal line out York stole the ball and a number of forward drives took play into the 22 and after several more drives captain Archie Fothergill touched down. Harry Shackleton had no problem with the conversion. York were 7 points up after 20 minutes.

York supporters hoped that their team would, having scored, relax and settle down and they were helped when 4 minutes later a Sandal player received a yellow card for a high tackle. They sought to take advantage and after 30 minutes a solid scrum allowed the backs to use the numerical advantage to put George Davies in at the corner. The conversion was missed. The score now 0-12.

From the kick off the away supporters hoped that their team would take further advantage of the extra man, York drove well out of defence but not for the first, or indeed the last time lost the ball in contact and gave away penalties. Sandal took one such penalty quickly, took advantage of a disorganised York defence and were within sight of the try line where they dropped the ball when it appeared easier to score. From the resulting scrum York kicked to touch and the referee blew his whistle for half time. 0-12.

The second half began as the first with Sandal taking the game to York who saw little of the ball and had to defend constant attacks. After 5 minutes the home side enjoyed a scrum 15 metres from York’s line, their scrum half picked up and went the width of the pitch before scoring in the corner. The conversion was missed. The score now 5-12. A perfect start to the half for the home side. It was important they didn’t score again and further reduce the lead.
York caught the ball from the kick off and they went on the attack and spent time in Sandal’s 22 but solid defence kept them out and a knock on allowed the home side to clear.

The next 10 minutes was spent in the middle of the pitch with neither side able to put the other under consistent pressure. The impasse was broken when York earned a scrum penalty which was kicked into their opponent’s 22. The line out ball was clean and both forwards and backs combined to put the home side under pressure which eventually told, and Ben Mills burst through the tiring defence to touch down. The conversion was missed. York now had a 2-score lead. 5-17 after 20 minutes.

York supporters hoped that their side would take advantage of their superiority and add further scores. It took a further 8 minutes before they were able to do so. A penalty took them into the 22 and the ever-alert Toby Atkin took advantage of a disorganised defence to run in from 20 metres and add a trademark try. Harry Shackleton again added the extra 2 points. York now had a 3 score lead of 5-24 and a bonus point having scored 4 tries.

Any thought that York may be able to relax and see out the game was not shared by the home side who were determined to score themselves. The remainder of the game was spent in the York 22 with them repelling attack after attack the majority within 5 metre of the line and the defence was desperate at times. From one such attack the referee took the view that George Davis defended illegally and with 4 minutes to go was yellow carded.

Despite been down to 14 men York held firm and when they earned a scrum their supporters hoped that they would “put boot to ball”, kick for touch and relieve the pressure. They chose to run the ball took it into contact lost it and Sandal said thank you very much and used the extra man to score in the corner. The conversion attempt which failed was the last kick of the game. Final score 10-24.

Away games are always hard, and Sandal were a big side with plenty of weight, some of it perhaps in the wrong place for some players, who never made it easy for York who struggled to impose themselves, set the tempo and control the game. A workmanlike win. Next week York will be hoping to extend their winning run. The visitors are Scunthorpe who are bottom of the league having only won 2 games so far this season.