A stiff breeze, blowing straight down the pitch, saw York, as selected, kick off against a Scunthorpe side languishing second from the bottom of the table.

In the 6 minutes before the first scrum play was fairly scrappy with York continuously driving/probing into a compact defence, but sometimes almost seeming to lose ground in so doing. From the first scrum, however, Scunthorpe cleared well to halfway. They had clearly “come to play” and suddenly produced a lovely backs movement which saw their fullback Lugsden overlapping and touching down near the corner for a try converted by Taylor. (0-7). York’s restart, against the wind, failed to achieve the necessary 10 metres and Scunthorpe broke again from the resultant scrum which York managed to stifle before gaining a penalty from a Scunthorpe infringement. Elliot on the York wing stretched the visitors defence with a good break down the right but Scunthorpe scrambled clear using the wind for a good touch.
York’s Shackleton displayed his illusiveness and took play into the visitors half where, following a penalty Scunthorpe were marched back a further 10 metres. The continuous pressure on the visitors’ defence was telling and following a Scholey sidestep and forward drive, Atkins was put through for a fine score which Davies converted. (7-7). From the restart, Scunthorpe enjoyed a short period within the York 22, attacking from side to side but to no avail until York, having snaffled the ball at the breakdown, decided to run out from their own line but lost the ball and were penalised on the ground. Scunthorpe found touch in the corner and a good rolling maul secured a try by Linklater, again converted by Taylor (7-14 after 33 mins).

Maud had already driven effectively on several occasions and now made good ground following the restart. Scunthorpe were penalised which allowed York into the 22 metre area. A “not straight “call by the ref., saw another opportunity missed and it looked as if the halftime break would arrive with the visitors ahead. However a kick and chase saw York’s Fordy outpace the defence to retain control of the ball on the halfway then Croft burst forward with ball in hand before feeding Elliot who executed his signature “chip ahead and gather”, before crossing for a great try under the posts, converted by Davies. Halftime (14-14)

Now with the wind, Shackleton’s tactical kick put York on the front foot immediately and they really stretched Scunthorpe before spoiling it all with a pass into touch. However York stole the lineout and a lovely half break by Davies split the defence for a Jonty Atkinson try midway from corner to posts. Davies’ conversion attempt failed, (19-14).

The game was settling into a fairly scrappy affair between the Scunthorpe 22 and halfway and but for some over elaborate passing and several knocks on, York would have eased further ahead. The pressure was telling however and when the visitors lost their own lineout, following York being penalised, Atkin went quickly, was stopped illegally resulting in a yellow card. York found a good touch in the corner, started on the rolling maul, and this time Atkin was through and scored a fine try. A little fracas ensued and when the dust settled York’s Fothergill had been “grounded”. Neither the referee nor the writer actually saw what had happened. The conversion, in what was by now a miserable wet afternoon, was successful. (26-14 ). The play continued to be scrappy, but York were bossing the territory with Shackleton firing some huge tactical kicks. Unfortunately the slippery conditions saw multiple knocks on and much as Scunthorpe tried, they got little change from the York defence. On the one occasion when it seemed they might have engineered an overlap the ball was finally passed into touch. Their fate was sealed when Fordy escaped the clutches of three defenders, broke forward at pace and fed Elliot who scampered over for his second of the afternoon. The conversion from out wide failed. (31-14)

In truth Scunthorpe had not threatened the York line since their try in the 33 minute and their dismal afternoon was summed up in a plaintiff call from a visiting supporter, who ahead of a late scrum called, “do what you’re good at Scunny”. Even this cry failed to stop the York pack gaining total ascendency and a scrum penalty award to York summed up the efforts nicely. Scunthorpe tried until the end but in doing so presented Elliott with a final interception which saw him scamper home for his hat trick. Not converted (36-14).

This bonus point win eases York into 5th place in the league, but there is little time left to improve further and to reflect the true abilities of this team.

As a footnote, Sam Elliot’s hat trick was a fitting adieu for a great clubman and player who, having progressed right through from mini rugby to the top senior team, is very shortly heading for London as his career develops. We wish him every success.