After a morning of light rain and drizzle the skies cleared and although it was damp the clouds had cleared and it was a nice afternoon for running Rugby. York’s visitors were Sandal who had made the short trip from Wakefield having made a better start to the season than York having won 4 to York’s 3 and as a result 4 places ahead in the league. Last season York came out top in both fixtures and were hoping to avoid last weeks experience of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory when they lost in the last minute to Paviors.

From the off Sandal took the game to York and spent the first 5 mins in York’s half but could not turn pressure into points and it was York who scored first with a try by centre J Atkinson after a passage of play which began in their own half after 7 minutes. The conversion missed. 5-0. Sandal again took play to York without threatening the line and it was York who scored again after a break by the scrum half T Atkin from a line out in York’s half, he was stopped just short of the line but L Stockton was on hand to touch down in the corner. Again the conversion was missed. 10-0 after 13 mins.

York then started to put moves together and play in Sandal’s half and as a result of the pressure Sandal gave away a penalty which fly half D Cusack kicked. 13-0 after 19 mins. The remainder of the half was spent mainly in Sandal’s half but apart from a penalty kicked by D Cusack after 33 mins they could not turn pressure into points, whereas Sandal on the 2 occasions they visited the York 22 resulted in 2 penalties both of which were kicked.

The half time score was 16 -6 and the York support hoped that in the second half the team would be more clinical and not give away so many penalties which allowed Sandal relief when under pressure. The scrum was operating well, there was good interplay between forwards and backs and both were taking the ball at pace into contact. York had certainly been the better side in the first half. A concern was that Sandal had the upper hand in the line out, they took their ball easily whereas York were always under pressure.

Sandal started the second half strongly and on the attack and put York under constant pressure but with little creativity particularly among the backs and York defended easily. However, after failing to kick deep they were unable to defend a rolling maul from a line out 20 metres out resulting in a penalty try and a yellow card. 16-13 after 9 mins. From the kick off Sandal again attacked and only resolute defence kept them at bay and the line intact. Despite been down to 14 men York’s fly half D Cusack on a rare foray into the Sandal half kicked a penalty. 19-13 after 18 mins.

However, 2 mins later York again failed to defend a rolling maul from a line out and for the first time in the match were behind, if only by a single point, 19-20. Their supporters feared the worse and their fears were realised when despite repulsing several rolling mauls they failed to relieve the pressure when they had the opportunity to do so and continued to give away penalties one of which Sandal kicked. York were now behind by 4 points, 19-23 after 33 mins.

To add to the gloom the rain came down but realising that the game was still there to be won York for the first time in the half started to put moves together, play the game in the visitor’s 22 and put them under pressure. Sandal conceded penalties and York’s dominance in the scrum resulted in a push over try from a 5 metre scrum for the No 8 W Enslin, it was not converted. The score was now 24-23 with only a minute to play. From the kick off York secured the ball kicked into touch and the final whistle went. Jubilation for York who had to dig deep to secure the victory, despair for Sandal who could easily have snatched a win.

Victory from the jaws of defeat! Next week York travel to Scunthorpe and the next home game is against bottom of the table West Bridgford on the 26th November.

Meanwhile the second team had also beaten Sandal 35-12 to complete the double.