Report from Jack Sinclair.

For York this was the 7th of 8 scheduled visits over the Pennines in this remarkably arduous season in the RFU North Premier Division but a trip which, given the superb victory over Macclesfield the previous week, had given the team and the travelling support, hope that the elusive West Coast win was indeed possible. There were significant changes in the York side. The injured Cusack was replaced by Hessay who in turn saw Parsons coming in at 15. Woffendin stepped up from the bench to replace the injured Davies while Fox was welcomed back as cover for the injured Fothergill and Stockton was on the bench after a long absence.

Optimism was high as Wirral kicked off with the advantage of a very strong wind blowing straight down the pitch. York collected the kick off well and made progress with drives by Scholey and Atkins. They were spinning the ball well in difficult conditions but following a breakdown Wirral took play way down into York’s 22 with a fine tactical kick. Although the danger was cleared York were penalised at the breakdown and Wirral took the penalty kick for goal, but missed. The first scrum, which all York supporters had been waiting for, didn’t arise until the twelfth minute, but it didn’t disappoint. It was immediately clear that York had the upper hand and from the next set piece Goulding took the ball at the back, broke blind, fed his winger Elliot who burst forward, sped down his line, in turn fed back to Goulding who outpaced the cover over 40 yds, to score a lovely try under the posts, converted by Hessay. (0-7).

From the restart, Atkins broke through and was 30 yards up the field before being forced into touch. That his support hadn’t reached him was perhaps a portent of things to come, but at that stage York were playing all the rugby. However the errors, “penalty infringements”, ”knocks on”, “forward passes”, began to creep in and Wirral took full advantage, pinning York back with some fine tactical kicking. York’s defence was sound but every time they got out of the corner they infringed again. The pressure continued but was contained until, almost unexpectantly, Wirral broke through for a try at the posts which was easily converted. (7-7).
After a short sally into the Wirral half when a promising York move saw winger Taylor taken out by a high tackle, play was brought back to the York 22 by a great tactical kick by Wirral no 19. However the York defence again held, and whenever possible they tried to play some rugby, but the errors continued and so did the penalties, one of which quickly taken, was stopped just short of the line. The pressure continued but the York pack, even at 7 with Westaby in the bin, withstood penalty scrums, not just once, twice, thrice but four times before Wirral were finally penalised and situation saved. Disaster struck however, right on the halftime whistle, when after a good Hessay break, up to the half way line, in the next movement he chose to chip ahead, presumably for winger Elliot, only for the kick to be charged down, gathered and touched down under the posts. (14-7).

Now with the wind, surely York would dominate. But no, in their first foray, while passing it down the line, up popped Wirral with the interception, from which they very nearly scored, but for a valiant Goulding chase. A scrum resulted at which York were penalised and the kick was successful. (17-7), so from an attacking position, York again contributed to their problems.Very shortly afterwards Wirral were penalised and Hessay found a good touch kick and although the maul was held, Wirral were again penalised. York chose to scrummage, passed the ball down the line, dropped it, which the Wirral centre collected and sped 60 yards to score under the posts, despite the efforts of the chasing wingers. (24-7). As one York wag put it… 1 charge down and 2 interceptions!!!

The injured Atkins was now replaced by fullback Parsons, who very shortly afterwards used the wind to gain territory and after good follow up by Dyson-Dent and Woffendin, the scrum half slipped through to score under the posts. (24-14). This encouragement was tempered almost immediately afterwards when York were penalised on the ground and Wirral made no mistake with the kick. (27-14).
Still York drove forward and after another good Parsons tactical nudge, there followed a penalty scrum and York were over, with 6 minutes remaining. (27-21). The final minutes were frantic, but overanxiety, conceded penalties, dropped passes, all conspired to negate their efforts. It must be remembered that 4 of the York pack had, due to injuries, not played a full 80 minutes for at least a month so their efforts should be acknowledged, but the overall feeling from the York support was that it was a game that most certainly should have been won, as indeed should the matches at Kirby Lonsdale and Rossendale. York had too many quality players on the field to lose a game like this one.