Yorkshire Division Three: Aireborough 30 Bramley Phoenix 27

AT THE end of a remarkable week of knockout games in the Yorkshire Shield and Aire-Wharfe Cup came a remarkable league match at Nunroyd Park.

Bramley Phoenix, docked 35 points for disciplinary reasons, needed at least a draw and a four-try bonus point to survive themselves and send Baildon down.

Phoenix were at Aireborough who knew that, one way or another, they would be losing a derby rival next season.

In a switchback affair, the hosts led 10-0 after 18 minutes but trailed 22-10 half an hour later.

Aireborough fought back to go 27-22 in front after 73 minutes but thought that Baildon were doomed when Bramley Phoenix levelled at 27-27 with their fourth try four minutes later.

However, with virtually the last kick of the match, replacement fly half Nick Holdsworth's penalty from just inside the Bramley Phoenix half just had the legs to creep over the bar and win it for Aireborough, sending the visitors down instead of the Jenny Laners.

The largest cheer at the final whistle came from the sizeable contingent of spectators from Baildon, with hooker Dale Tabiner saying: "When he struck that last kick, I thought it was over when it left his boot, and then it seemed to die over the last five metres."

Holdsworth was more confident about the outcome for all of the ball's trajectory, however.

In a contest that was well policed by the three neutral officials – there were several more whistlers on the touchline as well – Aireborough started positively, seemingly imbued with confidence after lifting the Aire-Wharfe Plate last Tuesday 32-3 against Bradford & Bingley Seconds.

A Kris Brook try and a Ryan Sample conversion and penalty put Aire in charge but Bramley Phoenix showed how dangerous they were in responding with tries by No 8 Tony Cowley, after good work by flanker Andy Scott, and Nathan Phipps after a break by Aaran McHale was continued by Steve Meade.

Phipps converted Cowley's try, and lock Adam Oliver improved Phipps' try, as well as adding a penalty.

With Baildon fingers already being chewed, Meade scooted over down the right eight minutes into the second half to put the merged club 22-10 in front.

Will Warrington began the home comeback with a try in the 55th minute, and the visitors paid for having hooker Matty Oliver sin-binned eight minutes later, Aireborough scoring a penalty try that Holdsworth converted in the 68th minute to tie the scores at 22-22.

Good hands then put Warrington over for his second try in the 73rd minute but Baildon seemed destined for the drop four minutes later when Jack Badley went over on the right for Bramley Phoenix, not only tying the scores at 27-27 but giving the visitors that extra league point they needed for a fourth try.

Some Baildon supporters could not bear to watch but they needed Aireborough to get another score in the little time that remained, Holdsworth obliging in the third minute of stoppage time with the last meaningful action of a splendid contest in which the visitors showed plenty of positives and only a bit of backchat and two high tackles in the negative column.