Tough at the top!

It was always going to be a highly charged encounter and so it proved to be. Ripon fielded a renegade York player, fellow schoolmates were on opposing teams and in aggregate the majority of the North Yorkshire squad was on display. Most players were out to prove a point. It was not a game for the feint-hearted player or spectator. The pace was electrifying. The game had the occasional incident but on the whole it was played in good spirit by two teams with mutual respect for each other.
The game was played in 3 x 20-minute sessions thus allowing both squads to rotate players and enhance player development. Ripon brought a large squad, which but for injuries, York should have matched. In fact, as in the previous week, York had to pull forwards out in order to make up an improvised back line at all.
The game started at a tremendous pace with no quarter being given by either side. York, as they did throughout, held an advantage in set scrums and at lineouts where they had both weight and height advantage. York never hesitated in their attempt to play an expansive game but Ripon were well organised and defended well. Superior back play by Ripon brought them four tries, all of which were converted, during this first session.
FIRST SESSION : YORK 0 RIPON 28.

The second session followed a similar pattern of play. This session was, however, punctuated by more positive moves by York. Frequent strong driving runs by York forwards saw them bludgeon their way through. Ripon's defense remained resolute as they ultimately got players back behind the ball to stem the flow. As in the first session, expansive play by Ripon brought them two further tries. Ripon added a third try when they broke after catching a York restart. An excellent individual run saw that player side step a number of would be tacklers to cover more than half the length of the field to score.
SECOND SESSION : YORK 0 RIPON 19.

The final session saw York make a number of positional changes. This brought immediate results as York had a stronger attack from nearer the base of set pieces. York broke on the short side from a quick, tap penalty as Simpson broke clear from halfway to race over. Atkinson added the conversion. (7-0).
Boyd by this score, York continued to press and it looked as if they would dominate this session. Against the run of play Ripon scrumhalf broke blind from a scrum and with a two on one against the York winger he stepped inside to score. (7-5).
Ripon should have added to this score as they broke clear for what looked a certain try. York never gave up the chase as the Ripon player was tackled within inches of the York line. York managed to clear the ball from their own 22. York won the Ripon lineout but the ball went loose. Ripon got their hands to the ball and moved it out wide. A neat step inside his marker brought Ripon a final try. (7-12).
THIRD SESSION : YORK 7 RIPON 12.

The score had been indicative of a well-organised Ripon team who had played well on the day. No doubt a full strength York team would have made a better account of themselves as far as reflected in the final score. York should be proud of many aspects of play. The pack had been dominant, drove Ripon backwards and put in some powerful forward drives. The backline, although being exposed on a number of occasions in defense, had been prepared to run with the ball and had made some promising breaks. It had been a challenging experience for York against one if not the strongest team on their fixture list. There had been many promising aspects to York play around which their game can be built and improved.

SCORERS:

Tries:
Simpson

Conversion:
Atkinson

Players 'Man of the Match'.
Leonard