As an old player, get me on there , wallow in the mud, stick it your jumper, not today, we need a hard dry surface to play on. It was great to watch. Both sets of forward mud wrestling, scrumming well, only if the ball went anywhere near the middle of the scrum, that would be great. We would be back in the ‘80s.

Both teams tried to play rugby, York came out on top, the Knottingley outside centre standing out for them. However York had 3 standout players, other than Jon Dawes , who before being injured had a 100% success rate with the boot. Bring on the leaders, Enslin, the mobile side of South African beef, Fredie Protykus, speed, strength and scrumaging. Then here we go, he’s small quick and has dizzy feet, can catch a wet slimmey ball in his own 22, and can run, watch out, he is Charlie Nicholson, accelerating quickly, dancing, swatting and being Yorks version of the pin ball, ball, he set the standard, others then followed. This added to the specktle . Brilliant in the conditions.

York’s forward drive was unleashed, they were warned about truck and trailer, but failed on a couple of points, they were penalised, and Knottingley could match them, they had ago as well and did well. Well matched forwards. Knottingley didn’t have the expansive game to win, coupled with good York tackling, York kept a tight grip on the game.

The first score of the game went to Gareth Singleton, rounding off a passing move that combined forwards and backs, to the right, try 2 m in from touch, Dawes adding the extras. Willem Enslin then scored from a wheeling scrum 5m out, again Dawes obliging, 12 minutes gone.
Knottingley, converted a penalty, to, post their only points, York were adjudged to have been offside. Knottingley, lost a player to the sin bin for interfering at the ruck, 12m out.
There was to be one more score, before half time, Dawes extending the score to 3-17. It was an entertaining half, the weather acting as a levelling agent, Knottingley adding their bit, as York spilt the ball often.

York started the 2nd half with a controlled 25m forward drive. Five minutes into the half Dawes added another penalty. We entered a period of Keystone cops rugby, the ball was going anywhere but where either side wanted it to, the game settled down. Dawes leaving the field after an injury. York had all 3 subs on 15 minutes into the half, the reformed scrum demolished a Knottingley scrum, for the home no.8 to fall on the ball, and the rest of the scrum driven over him, 1st time I have seen that allowed by a referee.

Now playing on the left wing Joe Maud took a quick lineout to Nicholson, who from nothing made a break up field, ending with another Enslin try, 30 second half minutes gone, conversion missed, 3-25. Now for the final score of the game on 35 minutes, a good break by Pete Martin, sent in Joe Kirker, final score 3-30, a bonus point win.

I enjoyed the encounter, all the players were the same colour by the end, the game was played in a good spirit. I would like to wish Craig Field of Knottingley, all the best, following an injury last week.