North East Division Two

North Ribblesdale 11 Darlington 13

This was a tremendous match, a cut and thrust contest where a wholehearted effort from Ribb all but turned the league formbook upside down as they took Darlington to the very limit, writes Trevor Graveson.

Indeed while acknowledging the understandable local bias that at times reveals itself in the sports pages of the Herald few who were present at Grove Park would deny that the home side deserved to take something from the game.

Unfortunately though the cold facts are that 11 league games have yielded only three wins for Ribb, although it has to be said that fortune has not favoured them, with six of the eight defeats being by desperately narrow margins.

Darlington arrived as runaway leaders of the division with a 100 per cent record and an average of 42 points per game, and they left with their league statistics unblemished, but their players, and the majority of their supporters, acknowledged that the result could have gone either way. Indeed Ribb looked to have done enough to win with a stirring second half effort but the visitors came back with a crucial closing score.

The opening exchanges saw Ribb make a hesitant start and Darlington's first attack swept downfield and within the first minute they took the lead with a penalty.

The Dalesmen could not settle. They lost their first scrummage ball and lineout possession was not secure -- it was if they needed something to kick start their effort and get them into the game. Fortunately they did not have to wait long and a searing break from deep in his own half by stand-off John Walker was the spark that ignited Ribb.

His effort could well have brought a try but the support was not strong enough to break the visiting defence, although it did yield a spell of pressure that rocked Darlington and it became apparent from that moment on that Ribb were in with a shout.

The forwards took their cue, in particular the front five -- with Mark Throup deputising for flu- struck brother Gordon -- who made their presence felt against much bigger opponents, sorting out the early scrum and lineout problems to give the side parity in those phases.

Darlington found themselves defending desperately, conceding a penalty which Jonathon Richards pushed just wide, but Ribb kept territorial advantage and when a similar chance came shortly after the young centre brought the scores level.

The Dalesmen were now well and truly in the game and although Darlington had perhaps the lion's share of possession they were kept at bay by some tigerish tackling. The home back row of Ryan Kirkbride, John Moore and Michael Carr were outstanding around the fringes and when Darlington attempted to create play through midfield the defence of Walker, Richards and Ashley Caton was no less impressive.

With the game about half an hour old Darlington took the lead again, attacking down the left before switching play across the field where a pacey right winger outflanked a desperate cover defence for a fine try in the corner. There was no conversion but the visitors upped the pace looking for a further score only to find Ribb resilient again and the Settle side prompted by Neil Gemmell at scrum-half had attacking moments of their own before the interval arrived with Darlington holding an 8-3 advantage.

The second half was a revelation. The Ribb pack tore into their opponents and the visitors were rocked back with Richards' second successful penalty reducing the deficit. Soon after Richards was involved again when he shot through a gap in the visiting three-quarter defence only to be stopped just short, but once again the Durham side found themselves under fierce pressure. The home forwards now had the upper hand and they heaved a maul over the Darlington line without being able to ground the ball and from the following scrum the pack drove over the line again completely splitting a much heavier Darlington front five.

The decision to re-set the scrum seemed harsh as Ribb thought the score was theirs, but the packs went down again and this time Darlington hit back with a powerful surge.

However they could not clear their lines and Ribb soon kicked back to the corner where Antony Capstick took clean lineout ball and his forward colleagues mauled to the line again for Kirkbride to claim the try and although the conversion slipped the wrong side of the posts Ribb led 11-8.

Still the Dalesmen took the game to Darlington. However the majority of the match was played in the midfield area with tackles from both sides limiting any further scoring chances.

Ribb frequently kicked deep turning Darlington and keeping the action away from danger areas, but in fact one such kick led to what was to prove the winning score with the game having only seven or eight minutes to run. Ribb should have held the Durham outfit deep in their own half, but a penalty was conceded and the visitors ran out into a slightly unprepared defence. Tackles went in but the ball kept moving and a chip ahead saw the home side stretched on their right flank. The Darlington winger kicked on twice with the final bounce taking the ball away from the chasing defenders and as it spun over the Ribb goalline the winger followed up to get the touchdown. Again there was no conversion but the pendulum had now swung Darlington's way with them having the advantage at 13-11. And there it stayed as Darlington kept Ribb at arm's length in the closing stages. But the home side remained defiant to the last and a bone-crunching tackle from Carr typified their attitude as he prevented Darlington taking a quick tap penalty. He earned a lecture from the referee and the Darlington player eventually recovered his composure, but he and his team knew they had been in a game.

So all that Ribb took from the match was pride, but the season is now at a stage where points are vital and while many would claim that Ribb are in a false position hovering just above the relegation zone the time has come when the side must now prove that point. Given recent form there is no reason why the Dalesmen should not win all their remaining games but as a priority they must target the home fixtures -- with Hartlepool Rovers, Redcar, Pocklington and Roundhegians all having to visit Grove Park. Rovers are at Settle this Saturday and Ribb must win and begin a move up the table to a position that this season's efforts merit.

Ribb are away to Old Brodleians in the Yorkshire Cup Round Two on February 20.

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