The last home game of the 2016-17 season and York welcomed 6th place Old Brodleians to Clifton Park, the earlier away game being one of York’s 3 draws this season. Again York have to get the 5 points to keep the pressure on the play off place with only one more game to play. A win would also mean they are the only team in Yorkshire 1 to have an unbeaten home record. Plenty to play for.Clifton Park looking resplendent in the very warm spring sun, must be the end of the season because there is cricket in front of the club house. Rugby lunch including the old players reunion, so a good crowd. Minimal breeze and a very green but hard pitch should be good for some running rugby. York side rearranged again due to injury and unavailability but a welcome return for Chris Peace in the centres. Good to see that both York and Old Brodleians could each claim to have 12 of their 18 man squads coming through the youth ranks.

York kickoff down the minimal slope but straight into a very bright sun so any high return kicks are going to be difficult to judge, not only by the players as you will read later. A scrappy few minutes mainly in the Brods half from both sides but eventually Brods kick the ball out on the full so its back for a scrum, Toby Atkin breaks the line and it is eventually fed across to the far right where Will Dunlop goes over in the corner on 7 minutes, a difficult conversion hits the upright 5-0. Brods kickoff is too long and goes dead so back for a scrum. Brods get the ball back and following a high tackle [several of which went unpunished]get a penalty and kick for touch in the York 22. They drive but York defend well and get the scrum and the ball moves out of the 22. Brods get a penalty for offside and kick back into the 22, move the ball quickly from the lineout across the pitch. The final York defender overshoots and the winger goes over at the flag on 16 minutes, conversion missed 5-5. For the next 5 minutes both sides try to break away and eventually York get a lineout and a good drive to allow Dunlop to score again in the corner, conversion just wide 10-5. Kick off by Brods is caught and allegedly knocked on [the first of 3 such dropped catches which land behind the player]. Scrum Brods, who kick but do not collect cleanly and York turn the ball over at the ruck and very quickly move the ball through hands across the pitch to score, in the other corner this time. 26 minutes gone and a try for Will Atkin, another difficult conversion 15-5. For a while in the second quarter Brods seemed to lose some of their ambition and York started to turn the screws. Following another good lineout take, the ball comes to Peace who breaks through to release a flat out Goulding, result a try by Josh Parker [yes it is in the corner] conversion missed 20-5. Shortly its half time and bonus point secured.

Brods kickoff down the slope and for 5 minutes or so it is played around the halfway line, York eventually penalised for not releasing the ball, lineout Brods. York steal it and it goes across the pitch where Nicholson puts in a massive kick which just stays in. Fox catches the return kick and charges upfield to find Parker who scores, converted by Neil McClure somewhat relieved no doubt that they were not scoring on the corner flags 27-5. Time for the first replacement and Joe Simpson goes on for Thomson who once again has had an industrious day. Joe is not only the Captain of the very successful U18 Colts side but the 50th player to pull on a 1st team shirt this season. 5 minutes later Coe and Garland go on for Norris and Peace. Bizarrely on the first real tackle, they combine on one of the bigger Brods players and Coe comes off with a blood injury delivered by Garland ! Norris goes back on while he is patched up. Meanwhile as the 3rd quarter closes Brods get 2 quick penalties and lineouts, the latter for York allegedly not rolling away. The first is saved but they confidentally drive the second over the line for a converted try 27-12.As the final quarter starts, York up the intensity and more tries come. Coe patched up was now back on the park and proceeded to break the line at every opportunity, usually with Parker in close attendance. The ball was going through hands at speed and wave after wave was hitting the Brods defence full width of the pitch. Eventually following another excellent penalty kick from hand by Hessay, York got a lineout drive going for Toby Atkin to touch down, well converted 34-12. There then followed one of those mesmirising tries that York come up with when in full flow. Kick off well taken by Parker on the far side goes through several hands as forwards and backs combine across the pitch at full tilt. Nicholson collects the ball on the near side, crosses the line at the corner, cheekily sidesteps the last defender and puts it between the posts converted 41-12. The game is then played between the 22’s for a while both sides defending well. Some confusing decisions breaking play up so it was not flowing.Then York came up with another team try to finish the day. Started off badly as York drop a pass and are penalised at the scrum. Brods win the lineout and go across the field to be penalised, not for the first time, for crossing. York are then penalised and Brods fail to find touch. York rush upfield get a scrum but are penalised again. Lineout, ball goes crossfield and Brods penalised for crossing. York penalty, good lineout take and another series of great hands allows Garland to touch down between the posts converted 48-12. Fox receives the kick off but York were then penalised for an unclear reason, Brods kick into the 22. A series of drives and pick and goes, rumble towards the York line but its turned over and York rush out of their 22. A try looks on all day but the pass is dropped with 4 York players in positions to potentially run the full length of the field. Final whistle.

Another good 18 man result with job done York getting the 5 points and in the process become the only Yorkshire One side to be unbeaten at home. Unfortunately West Leeds stage a late comeback against Keighley to get 5 points as well. One more round in 2 weeks time, York @ Heath and West Leeds @ North Ribblesdale. Heath at home are always tricky but York on recent form well up to the task. Although it will take a mighty banana skin for West Leeds to lose the play off place.