Injuries hit Yarnbury

THREE injuries in the Yarnbury front five ruined any chance the Horsforth outfit may have had of taking the points at promotion contenders Pocklington on Saturday.

For 50 minutes the game hung finely in the balance until the forced Yarnbury changes gave the home side the upper hand and the momentum to go on and win the game.

Both teams had their moments in a tense first half, with league debutants Simon Ellis at second row and Paul Verity at hooker combining well in the line to win quality ball for the Horsforth side.

Unfortunately Ellis had to be carried from the field after only 20 minutes with a broken ankle, following some excellent defensive work in his own 22. Replacement forward Martin Mercer entered the fray and the Yarnbury pack went about their business, continuing to win good first-phase ball in both the scrum and the line.

A converted try from a five-yard penalty and a converted penalty from Pocklington were countered by four successful penalty kicks from Yarnbury scrum-half and skipper Steve Lee.

With the scoreline at 12-10 in Yarnbury's favour, the teams turned round for what should have been a close and entertaining second half.

Ten minutes passed and, with the defensive lines of both teams functioning extremely well, neither team was able to make any headway. The shape of the match changed completely however, at a Pocklington line-out on the half-way line.

Yarnbury's other second rower Steve Miller left the field with a facial injury and the home side no8 was red carded for punching in the line. Within minutes, Yarnbury's loose-head prop and scrummaging lynch-pin Craig Holgate left the field with a neck injury, bringin both remaining replacements Simon Green and Paul Trigg on to the field.

The Horsforth outfit struggled to come to terms with three changes in their pack and, despite having a man sent from the field, the Pocklington pack began to gain the upper hand.

Three quick tries in a 15-minute spell blitzed the visitors and the game was dead and buried when Yarnbury winger Phil Deacon went over five minutes from time for a consolation try.

Back row boys Martin Rivett, Wayne Butterfield and Mark Cooper courageously fought to the final whistle, but with three changes to their front five the Yarnbury pack could not withstand a Pocklington pack desperate for two promotion points.

In the absence of first team regulars Andy Rivett and Billy Thompson, Paul Verity had a cracking game at hooker and Johnny Reid had another solid game at full-back.

This week, Yarnbury entertain Bramley in another league match at Brownberrie Lane. After losing to their nearby rivals in the opening league match of the season, the Horsforth side will be looking to avenge this defeat on their own patch.

The match should be a cracker with Bramley equally keen to take the two league points and pull away from the relegation zone, where they currently sit only two points above the relegation-placed Sunderland.

Old Crossleyans 28 Yarnbury B 17

Yarnbury took on this re-arranged fixture with some relish playing a side two leagues above them.

From the start Yarbury had the upperhand and scored after a searching kick from stand-off Steff Paterson was snapped up by Owen Woolfitt who unselfishly psssed to centre Phil Adams to score.

Crossleyans replied with a converted try and then scored another but Yarnbury rounded off the half with a well-worked try from full-back Rob Swann.

Yarnbury thought that early second-half pressure would turn the game in their favour but this pressure proved fruitless and three successive Crossleyan penalties put the game beyond doubt. They also added a try but the try of the game came from Yarnbury's quick thinking captain Matthew Brown.

Nigel Midwood beat four would be defenders before passing to Neil Pennington who sent Tony Curtis in under the posts for Patterson to convert.

The game ended with Yarnbury rueing missed chances but they learned some valuable lessons from a side with a lot of experience.

Nomads 43 Pocklington 14

Yarnbury stole the ball in the maul in the early stages and Paul Beardow looked embarrassed as he sauntered over from five yards. Captain Harrison added the extras.

Barry Walsh then scored the first of his four tries and the strength of his running seemed to make defenders disappear rapidly.

Simon Watkins cantered over just before half-time and Harrison's touchline conversion was worthy of the crowd's applause and Yarnbury led 28-0 at the break.

Pocklington were more organised in the second-half but could not prevent further scores from Walsh and Arnott.

Roger Everson was still as sprightly as ever in the loose, Kevin Robinson defended well and Dean Butler scored a try that never was.

Yarnbury U-13s 0 Barnsley 43

It ever a scoreline failed to reflect the true nature of a match this is it. Against much bigger opposition the understrength Yarnbury side applied a lot of pressure but the fact that they did not score was due to an excellent defence and the wrong choices being made. Barnsley's tries all came from long distance.

Yarnbury tried manfully to play an expansive game with Lee, Daniels, Ahmad and Wormald to the fore. Fox looked a better player in the back row and Whitfield seemed more comfortable in the pack than in the backs.

It may well be that Yarnbury may have to go against all the club's principals and opt for a forward orientated game if this young side is not to be swamped by bigger teams with fast backs.

l On Sunday Yarnbury will welcome West Hartlepool.

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