York v Sandal 11th November 2012

Match day squad: Patrick James, Angus Wilson, Herbie Milton, Henry Barker, Alfie Douglas, Isaac Wilson, Marcus Thomson, Oscar Hales, Harrison Savage, Adam Brown, Alastair Browne, Max Boswell, Isaac Philips, Jack Williams (Capt.), Max Courtis, James Mahon, Daniel Watson, James Black, Harry Taylor, Ben Wilkinson, Charlie Hudson, Chris Nelson

This was a highly entertaining contest and York’s finest performance of the season by some margin against very strong opposition on away turf. Victory was particularly sweet with the memory of a sound thrashing against Sandal in a Friendly just 3 weeks earlier still fresh in the mind of most players and supporters. With this memory of early season defeat and the weight of expectation weighing heavily on a side that have been victors in their previous two Yorkshire Cup campaigns, players might have been forgiven if their play had once more dipped below their normally high standards. There was no fear however, none, certainly none on the field of play. Belief in each other, a stubborn determination and hard work on the training field was evident for every minute of the fifty.

The match was played in fine Autumn conditions and immediately followed the observance of two minutes silence on Remembrance Day.

York enjoyed the definite advantage in the first half of playing left to right as seen from the clubhouse, thereby forcing Sandal to play up the slope and into the sun. Not only this, but the visitors kicked off. From the very start, York’s desire was evident. Jack Williams’ kick was lofted high and left just beyond Sandal’s forward line and followed up with speed and aggression. Despite a string of early penalties to the hosts in the immediate aftermath, York maintained their discipline, and in dry conditions with firm ground, soon established a sensible steady rhythm of rapidly recycled ball to their back line at the breakdown, but with considerable variety in their movement before and after. Battering runs from York’s front five were balanced by explosive runs around the flanks, while intricate and probing runs worked by the York back line were balanced by more direct running and passing down the line. York’s fast forward runners were quick to enter and support their backs with good timing around the breakdown and their backs were equally quick to join combat and support the forwards where needed.

The first try came from an unlikely source after 5 minutes, Sandal having just cleared upfield from the back of a five metre scrum. This followed a near score from Angus Wilson after ball won by Harrison Savage at a lineout on the right. A rare moment of hesitation by York’s backs in retrieving the clearance allowed Sandal back to their ten metre line. Although a scummage was awarded to York in the aftermath, the position fifteen metres in from the right touchline hardly seemed threatening. York won the scrum however and had other ideas, first with a quick move around the left of the scrum then fast ball down the back line to the right and then the left. Daniel Watson took the try five metres in from the left corner following a marauding run and some determined hand-offs. He was not to be stopped. Charlie’s conversion dropped a metre short and just to the right of the posts. 5-0 to York.

Dan Wilson also played a role in York’s second try. This followed the re-start and was initiated by a good recovery by James Black. Strong forward combinations by Zak Wilson, Harrison and Max Boswell took play down field and Max Courtis set up the finale, Dan feeding Angus Wilson to score ten metres in from the right try line. The conversion was pulled left. 10-0 to York.
At this point, York enjoyed a brief period of dominance while Sandal looked to regain their composure. Max Courtis and Jack Williams were both able to rattle nerves in the Sandal back line with some intelligent kicking and at one point James Black found himself behind the Sandal line ball in hand following some marauding work by York’s forwards – very similar to a try scoring move in the Friendly at Huddersfield the week before. With no less than five pursuers however, the odds were not stacked in James’ favour and so it proved, caught and penalised for not releasing the ball. A series of penalties, first on York’s right and next on the left, brought play up to York’s twenty-two. This was the start of a sustained 10 minute period of pressure by Sandal up to the half time whistle, a period marked by kicking exchanges and Sandal’s failure to breach the York defence. While York desperately sought an escape from their twenty-two though kicking, Sandal regained territory lost either in the same manner or through some increasingly determined forward-back combinations as their team found its rhythm. It was York’s fearless tackling and superiority in the loose to blunt the Sandal attack that surely counted however. In hindsight at least, it was York’s unfaltering defence during this period that marked the turning point in the game. Cries of “down the slope, we’ll have’em” at the half time whistle were to seriously underestimate the confidence-inspiring effect of a defensive battle well won and the recuperating benefits of the halftime break!

York started the second half in fine form gaining territory first up the left side and then the right side. Their third try was a beauty. A lineout next to the clubhouse on Sandal’s ten metre line was followed by extremely quick territorial gains by York up the centre of the field and then rapidly recycled ball to their right from a ruck ten metres out – Max Boswell, down the line, switchback by Max Courtis and then on down the line for the extra man James Black to put down in the right corner. Very nice indeed. A difficult conversion was missed. 15-0 to York.

A brief period of pressure on the far (right) side from York followed the try before Sandal found some relief in a well-worked break up to York’s twenty two from a scrum. A York penalty took play back to a lineout near halfway, but this was stolen by Sandal who made ten yards before a knock on and a scrum to York. A surging run off the back of the scrum by York’s Number 8 Alastair Browne took play back to the York ten metre line just left of centre where Sandal were awarded a scrum. At this point, with 12 minutes remaining, York’s coach Nigel Watson started to ring the changes. Oscar Hales’s introduction provided Marcus Thomson a well-deserved rest from his duties in the second row. A period of untidy play up and down the right touchline followed the scrum. There was some determined play from the forwards on both sides, Sandal winning a number of set plays and penalties, but failing to capitalize in the face of stronger York play in the loose. There was also good support from York’s backs with probing forays and kicks up the blind side by James Black and James Mahon. A Sandal kick out to the centre brought this period of play to a close. York Full Back Charlie Hudson picked up on his ten metre line and expertly kicked the ball to left touch on Sandal’s twenty-two.

The next period of play saw further changes in the York lineup after Sandal had pulled play back to a lineout at halfway on the far side of the park. With 7 minutes remaining Marcus Thomson returned at second row in place of Zak Wilson, by this time tiring somewhat after a standout performance, and the entire front row of Angus Wilson, Adam Brown and Harrison Savage made way for Herbie Milton, Henry Barker and Patrick James. Shortly afterwards Chris Nelson replaced Alfie Douglas on the left wing.

Sandal’s try came in the aftermath of a miscued York put in to a scrum in the York half close to the centre of the park. Sandal took advantage of the penalty to drive York back towards their twenty-two and then kick through the centre from the back of a successful scrum. Another York infringement led to a scrum five metres out under their posts. Sandal were quick to capitalize with their scrum half taking full advantage of hesitancy in York’s defensive line to move right off the back of the scrum, drift right and cut inside ten metres right of the York posts. The conversion was missed. 15-5 to York.

The final few minutes were played around Sandal’s ten metre line on the left side. York’s forwards continued to press hard, one highlight being a strong drive out left by Alastair Browne. A difficult pass left was brought under control by Chris Nelson who fed Dan Watson to keep the move alive and maintain pressure down Sandal’s right flank. Sandal were forced into a number of errors and Charlie Hudson found touch with a number of well-taken penalty kicks. The last of these was accompanied by the final whistle and resounding cheers from the travelling support.

A fine rugby display. For York it was reminiscent of one of their best of last season, a victory against Harrogate in the final of the Sandal Festival, also on the 1st XV pitch at Milnthorpe Green.

Final score 15-5. York march on to the third round of the Yorkshire Cup, to be played on 9th December.