Yorkshire Two

Wheatley Hills 21

Yarnbury 16

by John Rawson

YARNBURY'S first month of action in Yorkshire Two this season has been interrupted by constant team changes, making cohesion and planning difficult for the coaching team.

Despite numerous team changes for this match, Yarnbury started on the front foot up the slope and took the game to Wheatley pressing for the first ten minutes with the home side unable to get out of their 22 metre area.

Backs probed to no avail with both wingers Luke Cowley and Cameron Newby going close and the pack pushed hard down the centre but were repelled by the big home forwards.

Captain James White worked hard at orchestrating the three quarters as Yarnbury were dominant in this first quarter.

Maybe complacency was a factor but the game changed quickly.

A slack pass in centre field was snapped up on the interception by Wheatley centre James Ward and he scored under the posts, Owen Gillveray converting.

Wheatley pressed again and wing forward Lyndon Stayley bussed over from close in for a try near the posts on only the home side's second foray into the Yarnbury half, Gillveray converting for a 14-0 lead and Yarnbury with some work to do.

In fairness they remained calm and attacked concertedly up the slope but could not score even after desperate penalties given away by the home side.

Five metre line-outs came to nothing and attacks near the line were either wasted or penalised for infringements.

Finally to close the half stand off Danny Pound converted a penalty for the first score for the Horsforth side.

Early in the second half, Yarnbury were in the opposition territory but winger Cowley managed to knock on close to the line when a chance looked possible.

Certainly, the direct forward approach was seeing the pack make yards without getting clearly over the line and Jimmy Cryan was held up on the try line. Yarnbury then got their first try from impressive Cryan, who used his strength and determination to crash over, but Pound missed the conversion.

A slick move by the forwards saw quick short passing and substitute hooker Tom Whitfield taking a short return pass to force his diminutive frame over. Pound again missed the conversion.

Yarnbury were within one point of their opponents at 14-13 and pressing for a winning score while on top, unfortunately they conceded a try in the final quarter when Wheatley Man of the Match Staley outstripped the cover to cross the whitewash. With stand off Gillveray converting it looked like Yarnbury would get nothing out of the game.

However such was their determination that substitute full back Will Marshall, captain James White and hooker Tom Gilcrist straightened the line and put enough pressure on the home side for a penalty, which was coolly slotted home by Marshall.