Playing in ideal conditions, on a decent pitch, York started like a team lying second in the league should do, pinning Wath inside their half with confident ease. A good Josh Britland kick to the corner earned York a scrum on the 5m line, the ball was passed quickly on the blind for Alex Nixon to dive in at the corner, 5-0.

From the kick off, York again made strong forays only to infringe at the breakdown twice, taking the pressure off the home side. Buoyed by this Wath themselves played good phases only to infringe twice. From a York line out on the 40, Rich Roberts broke through the line, off loaded to JR Hartley who barrelled to the 5m only to be penalised at the break down; can we see a pattern emerging …..?

After 20 minutes, Wath had barely broken into the York half but an inaccurate York line out and yet another penalty, enabled Wath 10 Barrett to slot a penalty, 5-3. After a period of midfield stalemate and more whistles than a steam train, Wath produced the best move of the match when stocky 13 Mason took a great crash ball to bludgeon his way up to the York 5m and earn his side a scrum. From the put in, the ball was simply fed to Barrett who waltzed through a huge hole in midfield to dot down under the posts which he duly converted, 5-10. York mounted a series of forward charges, only to be inevitably penalised at the breakdown. Wath trundled it forward for a line out on the 5m, shambolic handling let loose head McCarthy scamper over, 5-17, halftime.

Whatever was said during the interval was quickly forgotten, as an isolated York player was pinged for holding on, Barrett slotted the penalty, 5-20. The supporters’ heads went down as the kick off sailed into touch on the full…….

York tried to rally and put a series of much better phases together to earn a lineout on the Wath 5m only to concede yet again, as they strove for the line. Wath took it back upfield and Barrett helped himself to another penalty, 23-5.From the next phase of play Wath miscued a field kick which York 13 Jon Dawes fielded and fending off would be tacklers, made a great 40m run to score and convert, 12-23.

Eddie Bradshaw then barged through the midfield causing Wath to infringe; Toby Atkin darted on and was held up on the 5m earning York the scrum. Wath were lucky not to have a yellow card as they spoiled the York push for the line, reprieved, they survived a further 3 set pieces until a Bates off load on the line was just knocked on. Thorpe and Kay came on in the back row but the over enthusiastic Thorpe fell foul of the ref twice, a kick to the corner and a good driving maul gave Wath 8 Burrows the try, 28-12.

The game meandered on with more errors from both sides, until thankfully, the only welcome whistle blast of the day, was sounded.

Deeply disappointing display today, we have to learn to play the referee; if he doesn’t allow any leeway at the breakdown, then we should play as such; Wath managed it marginally better than us. The forwards will need to take a long look at themselves and address it on Tuesday evening. The backs, although starved of ball, rarely look a coherent unit, and in my opinion, are too ponderous in execution. That said, no one looked more disappointed and distraught than the players and we must remember that young men do not give up their Saturdays to deliberately play badly! Every team has a shocker and I believe that these lads are too good as players, not to bounce back.

Very hard to pick a man of the match but Dawe's try was very good and George Davis made good ground the two times he had possession. Oh, and the scrum performed much better as well!

Many thanks to Wath RUFC for excellent hospitality before the game; it’s a great community club and is very well run.