Fielding a much changed side from last season and under the new coaching regime, York won a highly entertaining game against popular visitors North Ribblesdale 22-11 in the first match of the 2015/16 campaign.

Playing slightly into the prevailing cross wind, York earned an early penalty on the 40m which was well converted by George Davies. The first scrum soon followed from which no8 Marcus Britland made good ground to set up an early ball for the backs who were to enjoy more possession than seen in previous seasons. Britland again made good metres from the next scrum and a good attack down the blind was foiled by a Ribb turnover and a clearing kick to touch. From the lineout, the ball went wide with Jon Dawes making good ground, only for his pass to be spilled and Ribb fly hacked down to the York 20m; from here York infringed and centre Gill converted for 3-3.

The Dalesmen now enjoyed a period of possession in the York half and their own classy backs headed by the outstanding 15 Whaites, took the ball up to the 15m from where York were caught offside, Gill converted well again, 3-6. From the kick off Dawes was clumsily upended by the Ribb 8 who was duly yellow carded on the 25 minute mark. York applied pressure and Dawes was held short of the line but earned a free kick from which skipper Chris Fox crashed over for a rare try, the conversion was wide, 8-6.

The first of many interchanges saw Ed Proctor on for Britland and he had an immediate impact in fielding the kick off and making good ground up the stand side, quick ball went out to Chris Peace who broke to the 20m and fed Will Dunlop who was tackled short but scrum half Ben Johnson scampered over near the posts to score, Davies converted, 15-6.Dunlop then made a good break from midfield but his kick and chase was thwarted by the new very short dead ball area !
On 35 minutes, Charlie Nicholson finally got his hands on the ball and made very good yardage up the blind and neat interplay between backs and forwards promised further scores but did not deliver due to good defence and some handling errors.

The start of the second half saw Toby Atkin on for Johnson, James Hartley for Darren Rutherford and Britland resuming at 8. The first 10 minutes mainly belonged to Ribb with a Nicholson tackle into touch denying a Whaites inspired breakout. York responded and worked their way out of trouble through first Peace, then forwards Marc Benson and Britland, taking play back to the halfway.
Good quick lineout ball for Ribb was spread wide to Whaites who was well tackled by Peace but earned himself a yellow card for not releasing. Despite this York responded well and went close after Atkin sniped for the line following a driving maul but a knock on enabled Ribb to clear long to the York 40m.From here Ribb infringed in the tackle, York spurned the penalty opportunity and kicked to the 5m from where the attacking lineout fell foul to a crooked throw. Johnson, in at full back, fielded the clearing kick and was just wide with a decent drop goal effort from 30m. The forwards pounded forward from the drop out and earned another penalty which again was punted to the 5m; from here a promising driving maul was heading for the line when the referee, whom shamefully I have no note of his name, blew for a truck and trailer offence.

With Peace restored to action and Dawes, Proctor and Rutherford back from their 'breathers', York renewed their efforts and from a midfield scrum broke blind, feeding the ball to Dawes who attacked for the line, was tackled just short and from the ruck Darren Rutherford plunged over out wide. A superb conversion from Dawes made it 22-6. After Peace went close from a further attack, Ribb kicked to the York 20m and from the lineout Fox incurred a rare yellow card for an unknown to me infringement. Devoid of their inspirational skipper York conceded a number of penalties and in the last minute Ribb crossed wide out for a deserved try, making the final score 22-11.

This was a very promising start and at times there were some decent moves generally at good speed. The coaches commented afterwards, that there is still a lot of work to be done and indeed considerable improvement on the error count will be required for next week's tough away test at Malton.

Full credit to North Ribblesdale for their part in a very entertaining match, they will be a tough test for most teams especially at home. Mention should be made of their tighthead prop John Thwaite, who at 51 is still putting an 80 minute shift in at this level !
Lots of very promising performances and all the debutants showed up very well, tough to pick a man of the match but Ribb selected Chris Fox who had a fine game all round.

Words by Tim Bradshaw