Sheffield Medicals 5 Yarnbury 11

Yarnbury’s thorough preparation paid off as they secured the win that takes them back to the top of the Yorkshire Two table.

The weather for this crucial game was abysmal.

Forked lightning and thunder and the heavens opened to soak everybody on the heights of Sheffield just before the start.

As if that wasn’t enough a cutting crossfield wind produced near Arctic temperatures.

Yarnbury were able to field a strong line up with only second row Ian Maycock (holiday) and winger Chris Flowers (injured) missing.

James Falgate and Elis Gomersall were more than capable deputies.

Yarnbury had the advantage of the strong wind blowing diagonally across the pitch in the first half.

Their wily stand-off Carl Paterson repeatedly pinned the home side back with long kicks to the corners.

The Yarnbury forwards battered away at their rivals before Paterson opened the scoring with a penalty from in front of the posts.

Yarnbury maintained the early pressure with Joe Bennett and Jimmy Cryan putting in some big hits and the front row of Adam Pike, Richard Lister and Tom Gilchrist carrying the ball well.

Sheffield were too desperate to get their hands on the ball and Yarnbury took advantage with another Paterson penalty but 6-0 was not looking enough of a lead with Yarnbury having to play into the wind after the break.

Yarnbury camped in the left-hand corner and managed to get over for a try which was awarded to James Barrett after a break from a ruck by prop Adam Pike.

Paterson’s conversion attempt was blown just wide.

At least Yarnbury now had 11 points to defend for the next 40minutes s the rain at last subsided somewhat.

The Horsforth side have come into their own on defence this season and stifled the Sheffield Students attacking moves from the start.

The Sheffield stand-off Dave Conville tried to get his backs moving but the centre of the field belonged to Paterson and centres Stephen Riley and Jason Avison.

Sheffield tempers became frayed as they failed to find a chink in the Yarnbury defence.

Yarnbury added fresh legs in the back row with Richard Longstaff coming on for second row James Falgate and Cryan moving up to lock to add strength to the defence.

The students were not making inroads and their forwards were taking a battering from the likes of Joe Bennet, Longstaff and Barrett.

It wasn’t pretty but it was pretty effective.

In the final minute Sheffield managed to get over from close in with a try from full back David Hodgson to give the students a point.

Yarnbury will be in RFU National Intermediate Cup action on Saturday when they visit Hartlepool