York v Beverley 18th November 2012 @ Scarborough - By Bill Nelson

Playing squad: Tom Brown, Marcus Thomson, Herbie Milton, Patrick James, Oscar Hales, Isaac Wilson, Alfie Douglas, Harrison Savage, Harry Suter, Marcus Dobson, Jack Williams, Isaac Philips, Ben Wilkinson, James Mahon, Alastair Browne, Harry Taylor (Capt.), Chris Nelson, Daniel Watson, James Black.

This was the first of two games played back to back under bright sunshine in 4 degrees of heat from a chilly offshore breeze, the second game being played against Scarborough. Beverley came into the match defeated, but well and truly warmed up following their first match of the day against Scarborough. York entered the fray fresh and straining at the leash following their early arrival on the team bus.

A number of players were trialled in unfamiliar positions for the first half including Dan at full back and Jack at No.8. Patrick, Zak, Harrison and James Black were on the sidelines for the first half, replacing Herbie, Oscar, Alfie and Dan after the break. Team Captain was Harry Taylor.

And having won the toss and elected to kick off, Harry Taylor was quick to register York’s first score with a fine try on the right following a lineout on the left side soon after the kick-off. 3 minutes later York added to the tally with a try between the posts, the final move in a break initiated by James Mahon after he was stopped just short of the line in the left corner. The ball was retrieved from the breakdown by Alastair Browne who took the ball left then right before releasing Dan to score, the first of many assists by Alastair during the course of the game. Jack converted 12-0 and in the face of weak defending the pattern was set for a comfortable first half, with two further tries by Harry Taylor, a try by Alastair and an excellent final conversion by Jack. York led 29-0 at the break.

More was to come in the second half, but only after an extended period of much stouter defending by Beverley – a product perhaps of the halftime team talk and encouragement by Beverley’s vocal support on the sidelines. Jack finally broke the deadlock peeling around the left side of a scrum five to score ten metres in from the right touchline. Shortly afterwards Tommo put down in almost the same spot following Ben’s lofted kick over the back. Zack then scored on the right from a very similar pattern of play. Jack slotted home all three conversions to bring up York’s half century points tally.

Three further tries were scored before the whistle. Chris Nelson put down in the left corner from a James Mahon pass after easy movement down the line from a scrum right of halfway. Alastair Browne took his chance around the blind side of a scrum on the right to feed Harry Taylor for his fourth, and Jack scored his second try of the match from a Harry Taylor pass at a breakdown on halfway. Final score: 65-0 to York.

Positives to be taken into the next match against Scarborough: a good all round team performance, flowing play and a winning mentality.