Yarnbury 0 York 7

THE 2001-2 season seems a distant memory for Yarnbury RUFC. Then they missed out on promotion to North Two on the final day of the league campaign. Now a ninth defeat has left the club fighting for Yorkshire One survival.

After a moral-sapping home defeat to bottom side North Ribblesdale last Saturday Yarnbury's schedule didn't become any easier as they hosted table-topping York.

Even before kick-off York had the mental edge after beating their hosts 35-13 only three weeks previously. With ten first team regulars forced to view from the sidelines due to injury, the task for the Yarnbury XV looked even more daunting.

Excellent work from Yarnbury's head groundsman Kevin Wray had enabled the game to go ahead, and York probably wished it hadn't, as they failed to dominate as expected.

The majority of the first-half was played in the middle of the park, as neither side managed to snatch the upper hand. In terrible conditions Yarnbury were led strongly by stand-in captain Phil Wray. Their defence held firm when York sprang an attack and the Horsforth side also looked dangerous when they went looking for a score of their own.

Like in so many matches recently, Yarnbury again failed to register any points when they did put their opponents under pressure. The hosts lived to regret this, as York finally took the lead with ten minutes of the first-half remaining.

After a York maul had sucked in the Yarnbury forwards, their outside centre took a crash ball at tremendous pace and broke into the 22. He was eventually stopped by a fine tackle from Martin Rivett but a clever offload in the tackle allowed the movement to keep going and the York open side flanker to score the try.

The extra two points were added and York led 0-7 at the break. With coach Bob Hood away on Yorkshire duty, the injured pair of captain Steve Lee and vice-captain Steve Miller attempted to inspire the troops.

This half-time talk clearly worked, as Yarnbury played with even more fight and passion in the second period. Unfortunately York remained too strong for the Brownberrie Lane side and never looked likely of vanquishing their lead.