York have started their Yorkshire One campaign strongly this season with two bonus point wins. Wheatley Hills dropped down from North East One after a difficult time last season. They are adjusting to life in Yorkshire One and have had one win and one loss so far.
York had three starting debutants yesterday. Steve Johnson, a prop forward has joined from Hull Ionians and has had experience with the England counties team. Ross White, a young York player started at flanker and Rob Hodges (who has already made a substitute appearance this season) was selected on the wing. Gareth Singleton, also a winger, began as a substitute for his first appearance of the season.

It was a cool autumn day and the match began. The scrums were even, both teams competed, York scored first after eight minutes. Chris Peace (who continues his partnership with Sam Forbes in the centres) made metres forward, the ball was re-cycled and Shane Goulding, at number eight, was able to run under the posts and score. York full-back and goal kicker, John Dawes, converted the try. Wheatley Hills were playing well. They have an efficient line-out but York are organised in defence, Sam Forbes communicates well. The young visitors were able to spoil ball from an attacking York maul and an attacking scrum. Ross White was tenacious as the defenders tried to rip the ball from him and York, as a team, retained possession and pressure. The attacking possession was eventually rewarded when, after a line-out and one ruck, Josh Parker (on for Lewis Hannibal at flanker) scored from ten metres out. John Dawes converted the try and after twenty-five minutes York were 14-0 ahead. Wheatley Hills re-started the game and York attacked again. The York team worked together and supported each other. After strong possession around tight forwards and freer possession in the backs, prop forward Daz Rutherford scored with John Dawes kicking a good conversion. York did not relent, Chris Peace was involved in the build up to York’s bonus-point try but Rob Hodges finished what was a team try. John Dawes was unlucky with this kick. York scored twice more before half-time, John Dawes involved in assisting both. The first try went to Rob Hodges, the second to scrum-half, Toby Atkin. One conversion missed, one conversion good from out wide. The score was 38-0 at half time.

York were passing their way out of their own defensive area when the Wheatley Hills fly-half, Dave Laycock, intercepted a pass to score early in the second half. He converted his own try. As the half progressed, York scored four more tries. Toby Atkin picked up the ball from the base of an attacking York scrum and dashed to score. Sam Forbes found a gap in the opposition defence, ran sixty metres and was well supported by John Dawes who scored. Josh Parker was first receiver of York ball forty metres out and he beat the last defender to score and Rob Hodges got his hat-trick try when York organised and found him some space on the wing. John Dawes converted three of the tries, only being unlucky with one effort. There were three more tries in the final ten minutes of the match. Sam Kerry getting a deserved try for Wheatley Hills from short range, the conversion being good. Toby Atkin scored his own third and fourth tries of the day to close the game. He received a pass assist to get under the posts then combined very well with winger George Davies and John Dawes to score again, One conversion, one miss.
The final score was 76-14 in an impressive display from York.

Despite the score-line, Wheatley Hills showed a lot of promise. York play Scarborough at home next Saturday, Wheatley Hills host Middlesbrough.