York 16 V 16 Dinnington

Saturday 5th January 2013

By Steve Maud.

York welcomed the inform Dinnington to Clifton Park as they renewed this seasons league campaign following a 3 week Christmas break. York’s last game, a much penalised victory at Bridlington, seems to be a long way in the dim and distant past, when they ended 2012 with their seventh straight win. No doubt they will have to improve significantly on that performance to maintain their charge to the business end of the table.
Dinnington however have been quietly going about their business since the narrow defeat to York, at Dinnington in September 2012. Dinnington have beaten both Wath and Ilkley in a recent run of impressive results, both of these are teams, are sides to whom York have already lost this season and they both currently sit above them in the league table. Potentially Dinnington’s climb to mid table security, may have gone largely unnoticed by many.
Although York did undoubtedly start the game as favourites, this game has the potential to be a lot closer than many may think.

I hate it when I’m always right!

York started well, Fox collecting the Dudman kick off which then developed into 5 minutes of uninterrupted York Possession culminating in a well taken try by Gareth Singleton in the corner after he had powerfully fended then crossed for the opening score of the game. Conversion Missed 5-0.
It was fully 7 minutes into the game before Dinnington actually had possession of the ball and they were afforded field position and possession from a number of senseless penalties at the breakdown, Hannibal being the number 1 culprit. After 13 minutes Dinnington were attacking the York 22 when Sam Portrykus was penalised for failing to move away from the tackle area virtually in front of his own posts. John West the Dinnington fly half kicked the penalty 5 - 3.
The game saw a lot of ball carrying around the first receiver by both sides and both defences were up to the challenge. York who were missing Nixon (injury) Bradshaw (illness) and Martin (holiday) from their starting back line struggled to move the ball effectively through the midfield and was quickly closed down by the Dinnington defence. It became a bit of an arm wrestle with neither side gaining ascendancy but West was impressive for Dinnington with his handling and his kicking from hand, time and again pinning York back into their own half or relieving pressure.
On 22 minutes York were awarded a penalty just outside the Dinnington 22 when a kick ahead by Chris Atkinson found his opposite number out of position. The repost left the Dinnington forwards offside and Ben Hobson converted the chance for York to lead 8 – 3. Hobson further added to the York score with a 40 metre penalty on 25 minutes after Dinnington had infringed at the scrummage. At this point York looked like they were going to take control of the game but Dinnington had other ideas as they came back strongly at York. It was only an interception on his own goal line by Will Enslin that prevented Dinnington from going in at the corner. Dinnington were enjoying their best spell of the first half and after Hannibal was penalised for the fourth time for infringements at the breakdown, York were hanging on. West missed a simple opportunity to narrow the gap with a penalty, before on 34 minutes Sam Portrykus was penalised in front of his own posts for a trip as he was stepped by Marsden and left clutching at straws. West converted the penalty Portrykus got 10 minutes in the sin bin to contemplate his misdemeanour. 11 – 6.
York had a further chance to extend their lead just before half time when as they attacked the Dinnington 22 Chris West (father of John) took out a York player with a high tackle, he received 10 minutes in the sin bin, but Hobson was unable to convert the simplest of chances. How costly would that be? 11– 6 half time score.
The start of the second half saw York hooker concede a free kick for foot up in the scrum just outside their own 22. Dinnington had a quick tap and go and when the ball reached West his outrageous dummy back inside was bought by the entire York defensive line, before he ran in to score under the York posts, he converted his own try 11 -13.
4 minutes into the second half Marshall joined the increasing number of players in the sin bin for failing to release in the tackle and slowing the York ball down as they threatened to break loose. Penalty definitely, yellow card was harsh. With Portrykus emerging from his sin binning 2 minutes later York then had a 5 minutes period where they had a 2 man advantage but were unable to exploit it.
The game saw both sides have their chances to score tries with firstly Will Enslin butchering a 3 on 2 overlap for York deep inside the Dinnington 22, then he was penalised for holding on when his decision to take the defence on himself left him isolated following the tackle. Gareth Singleton saved York with a try saving tackle in his corner of the field as pressed hard following a period of sustained pressure, position and possession deep in the York 22.
West missed a drop goal attempt before further increasing the Dinnington lead after Ben Hepworth was penalised in front of his own posts on the 22 metre line for playing the ball whilst on the floor at an attacking Dinnington ruck. The game went into a bit of a stalemate with York probably enjoying the majority of ball and field position but time and again they turned the ball over as they pressed hard to get back into the game. Time and again West cleared his lines and the Dinnington defence held.
As the game went into the last minute York were held up when Singleton had countered from another West clearing kick. The Dinnington scrum lost the strike against the head. Will Enslin picked and went blind, quick recycled ball came back to the open side of the pitch and the first time that the ball moved seamlessly through the York back line found Billy Cakaunitabua getting outside his defender to race in to score the equalising try. Ben Hopson conversion attempt struck the top of the upright but crucially stayed out and the final whistle went. 16 – 16 final score.