YARNBURY showed character and steel to record a well-earned home win to begin 2019 against a strong Wath outfit pushing for promotion from Yorkshire Two.

The South Yorkshire side were the only team to dominate Yarnbury in the first half of the season in the away fixture when an inexperienced squad made the trip there, but a more settled Yarnbury team, featuring a number of returning players was to provide a tough opposition to Wath.

Yarnbury had the pressure collecting their own kick-off after a fumble by Wath and remained on the offensive for the first ten minutes, missing opportunities to score with the final passes going astray.

Wing forward George Bowen broke the line, but the ball was dislodged and a final pass in the left side corner went behind winger Josh Bell with the line beckoning.

As in the first half of the season, the opposition finally got in the game.

After a poor clearance to touch by Yarnbury, Wath drove forward through their forwards and then moved the ball wide right for full back Tom Quinn to score the first try. Stand off Jack Whitlam narrowly missed the conversion.

Two scrums were wasted in attacking positions with good cover from the opponents and Yarnbury were penalised by the exchange referee, losing advantage cheaply when in good positions.

Whitlam increased the lead to 8-0 with a penalty before Yarnbury came roaring back at the end of the half.

A sweeping move from a Wath kick out of defence was gathered by full back Will Marshall, who attacked the line putting winger Joe Pinnick through the gap. He passed on to stand off Danny Pound, who side-stepped experienced scrum half Joe Bartlett to glide under the posts. Will Marshall made no mistake with the conversion.

A cracking half of rugby from two committed sides ended with Wath holding a narrow 8-7 advantage.

Yarnbury gave away a slack penalty immediately on the restart and then went close under the posts after another Joe Pinnick break.

Yarnbury were looking good for another score and a break by Ian Maycock put second row James Falgate into a good position ten metres out and with space touched down for Yarnbury’s second try. Marshall converted to put Yarnbury in front on 55 minutes.

Dangerous Wath winger Joe Jewell ran out of the defence and evaded tacklers to score a converted try in the corner to give the visitors a slight 18-14 lead.

Jewell was tackled short again after a good run before Yarnbury captain was held up over the line.

The Yarnbury pack were not to be outdone by the backs and prop Richard Lister took the ball five metres from the line and took several would-be tacklers to the line with a determined run and touch down at the posts. Marshall converted and Yarnbury held out for the final minutes for a much needed 21-18 win.