A golden 10 minutes just after half time consisting of power, pace and precision produced three converted tries for York and secured them a convincing 41-27 victory over a good Driffield side.

York needed to bounce back after last week’s surprise defeat to Doncaster Phoenix and Driffield would not have been everyone’s choice of opponents to achieve this. Driffield proved a real handful before Christmas when York dug deep to close out a hard fought win at Kelleythorpe. Having lost only four games this season and sitting in second place behind York no-one expected this game to be any different. The loss of Joe Simpson through injury against Cleckheaton gave the fearless Angus Barrick an opportunity to reprise his role in the No7 jersey but otherwise York were at full strength.

Driffield opened the game in robust style getting the better of the early exchanges maintaining possession to test the York defence. Whilst York couldn’t turn over possession their uncompromising defence constrained the visitors to playing largely in the middle of the field but increasingly conceding penalties that were to give them better field position from which to attack. An early injury to Scholey after only five minutes saw the arrival of Lewis Jackson somewhat earlier than the script suggested. Sustained Driffield pressure broke the deadlock after 13 minutes, first attacking up the left before recycling quickly and swiftly moving the ball across the backs giving the wing enough room to edge around the York defence and score in the corner. Conversion missed a 0-5 lead to Driffield was a fair reflection. Having weathered the early storm, York started to create a strong platform up front which gave Shackleton some time and space to select his kicks and make the Driffield turn to defend. A raking kick into the right-hand corner resulted in territory for York and a pulled hamstring for the Driffield full back. Despite establishing territory and possession, mistakes meant that York could not convert this into points. Having to work increasingly hard in defence Driffield strayed offside giving Shackleton the opportunity to open the York account with which he made no mistake. York 3, Driffield 5 after a hard fought twenty minutes in which the physical confrontation mounted by both sides left you wondering who would last the game?

York were firmly on top now and playing in the Driffield 22. It was only a matter of time and patience before York scored. Ashman came close but couldn't quite evade the Driffield defence, and it was Dan Evans that opened the try scoring for York. A driving maul from a lineout 10m out was well defended initially by Driffield but the York pack kept their composure to tie in the defence. Evans rolled off the back of the maul to find the line beckoning. Shackleton converted, York in the lead 10-5. The remainder of the half was nip and tuck with both sides fighting hard to establish and exploit an attacking position. Driffield won a penalty try when Croft was deemed to have collapsed the driving maul taking Driffield back into the lead 10-12 and Croft to the sin bin. The numbers were evened up shortly after as the Driffield second row was shown a yellow card after being adjudged to have made a high tackle. Shackleton, uncharacteristically on the day, missed the penalty but York responded better to the reduction in numbers and concerted pressure saw them convert a try by Fothergill to end the half with a slight lead; York 17, Driffield 12.

Whilst the first half opened with Driffield in the ascendency, the half time team talk certainly had the opposite effect for the second. York came out of the blocks at a pace and power that blew Driffield away. Quickly establishing themselves in Driffield’s half, an overthrow at the lineout was cleaned up by York, Good quick hands across the back line found the ball in Hessay’s hands who had come into the line with good pace. He stepped slightly to straighten his run and cruised over the line brushing off defenders on his way. Conversion kicked again by Shackleton and the York lead stretched to 24 points to 12.

The heart of the tempo in the York team often emanates from scrum half Atkin and when he left the field after five minutes of the second half, one hoped he was ok but also wondered would York be able to maintain that tempo?. That was soon answered. Frank coming on to replace Atkin as he had in the previous game this year against Driffield fed the back line only three minutes after Atkin leaving the field. A strong run and good ball retention by Hessay enabled him to penetrate the Driffield line before offloading to Fothergill who crossed for another converted try. The score board ticking up at pace now, it was less than five minutes again before Shackleton fired a superb flat pass right to left, missing two attacking options and hitting Barrick running a straight line in the outfield. Barrick stepped slightly to draw the remaining defender before feeding Jackson (what was he doing there!!) who crossed under the posts. York 38, Driffield 12. Thirty minutes remaining but the bewildered look on the Driffield players faces suggested they didn’t know what had hit them.

This was a blistering ten minutes that was marked by good lines of running and accurate passing, but it was only possible due to the hard work done up front to create the momentum and space for the back line to play with. The York pack had enabled this through sheer hard graft from 1-8 not just in the ten minutes but in the forty before it too. Special mention should go however to the front row, particularly Ed Westaby whose work rate was phenomenal. It is a rare occasion these days when a front row has to play the entire game. The pressure in the scrum is energy sapping and then to have to get around the field and tackle and get up again and tackle and ruck and maul, and all at a pace can only be marvelled at. I’m sure they enjoyed their beer after the game, it was well deserved.

The remainder of the game was a scrappy affair. Arguably the game won, Driffield were left chasing bonus points which they set about with great determination. York’s lineout was misfiring now and decisions to run the ball rather than kick for position and some unforced errors enabled Driffield to maintain territory and secure three second half tries that secured them a try bonus point. If their full back, presumably their kicker, hadn’t left the field, they may have been in at the death for a win and certainly a losing bonus. As it was, their kicker couldn’t land the opportunities provided and York secured victory 41-27 with a final penalty converted by Shackleton. In the end the score line reflected the game, but York demonstrated in patches how much class they have. A rest week next week and a chance for the other teams to catch up on the games they missed before Christmas which will unwind the points situation and reflect a truer picture of York’s position at the top.