York 13 v Wath 16
Saturday 6th October 2012.
By Steve Maud
Here we go again, same old, same old.
After starting the game well and dominating field position. York went ahead with a Ben Johnson penalty (on 8 minutes) from directly in front of the posts and 10 yards out. This unfortunately would be Johnsons only success of the day which would ultimately prove to be the difference on the scoreboard. York showed a lot of ambition in the early stages and would go close again after 10 minutes when Hill (Wath Lock) was sent to the bin for collapsing a well organised York driving maul that had started on the Wath 22 metre line before being hauled down by Hill as it entered the Wath red zone. From the resultant kick to the corner York knocked on at the lineout and the Wath scrum were awarded a penalty as they were wheeled on the tight head side, a dubious decision but none the less, this allowed Wath to clear their lines.
Then as if by magic York’s dominance disappeared, a series of errors and discipline failings lifted the siege and Wath were allowed to get a foothold in the game. The game entered a scrappy period that was littered with errors on both sides but following a series of penalties for infringements at the breakdown on 26 minutes York found them defending a line out 5 metres from their own line. The initial catch and drive was held up over the York line but the back row move from the resultant attacking scrum saw the first thrust by the Wath number 8 dealt with but the follow up blindside attack out muscled the York defence and Wath scored in the corner. Quinn converting from the touchline to give Wath a 7 – 3 lead. The turning point in the first was when Wath made a tactical substitution when the tight head prop Butterworth was replaced by Wisson and the whole dynamics around the scrummage changed. Wath now held the upper hand in the scrummage and York would lose 3 scrums against the head before half time. It was on 32 minutes and the York 22 metre line when York scrum failed to clear the ball from their own feet and were penalised at the base. Quinn kicking another goal to extend the Wath lead to 10 – 3.
The frustration was starting to build in the York side and this came to the surface on the stroke of half time when Boyle was yellow carded for over enthusiastic rucking as a Wath player lay on the wrong side of the ruck. Half time York 3 – 10 Wath.
With York down to 14 men the briefing must have been at half time to cut out the silly errors and penalties. It was therefore bewildering that from the restart that York watched the ball bounce and after Wath had collected, they moved the ball to the midfield, York failed to roll away from the tackle, 35 metres out in front of their own sticks; Quinn accepted the gift and Wath lead 13 – 3.
After 5 minutes of the second half Johnson missed an opportunity to cut the deficit when his penalty attempt went wide. Boyle was restored to the fray after 10 minutes but York would only enjoy a full complement for 2 minutes when a relieving penalty from in front of their own posts failed to find touch. Wath moved the ball in field and as they did so they were met by a swinging arm from Sam Portrykus; a straight red saw Portrykus on his way for an early bath taking any realistic possibilities of a York revival with him.
From the resultant penalty Wath kicked for the corner and the lineout York were caught offside in front of their own posts which Quinn converted for a 16 – 3 Wath lead.
Strangely with the expectation of winning removed York started to play without fear and with ambition when on 17 minutes a midfield bomb by the Wath stand-off is defused by Boyle who caught the ball and called for the mark in his own 22. A quick tap and go fed Joe Maud who blasted through the Wath midfield up to the Wath 40 metre line, Maud finding his support on the outside but Cakaunitabua was hauled down on the wing, the ball came loose and Wath hacked the ball ahead, Peter Martin facing his own goal line and with Wath players bearing down on him, collected the ball and evaded three defenders down the touchline before striking back in field, Martin was brought down inside the Wath half, further quick ball saw Maud emerge on the right wing to round the scrambling Wath defence, as the last defender closed in on him, a ball over his shoulder found Johnson in support who finished off an outstanding passage of play. Unfortunately he failed to convert his own try. York 8 – 16 Wath.
On 26 minutes and after the third time a Wath player cynically impeded the York tap and go within 10 yards, the referee eventually went to his pocket and yellow card was produced for the Wath offender. (Too little too late, referee).
The speed of the game increased and Wath were struggling with the ambition shown by York. York earned an attacking scrum on the Wath 22 and initially testing the fringes they move the ball wide to the right wing where a good penetrative run took York close, further quick ball is moved the full width of the pitch for Cakaunitabua on the left wing to round the defence and score, despite narrowing the angle the conversion was missed York 13 – 16 Wath.
Both sides had chances to score in the last 10 minutes of the game but the 14 men of York carried more threat, again it was poor execution at the death that would see an improbable win elude York as Wath hung on. 13-16 the final score.