Rugby Mens 1sts
Time: Sunday 12.00
Location: 22 acres
Points: 4
Score: Lancaster 24 York 19
YORK’S fast-flowing play was neutralised on Sunday as a tough Lancaster pack helped the visitors run out 24-19 victors.
York started quickly, and the huge effort put in by all the squad this year showed from the kick-off. Strong running by fullback James Wilson opened up the Lancaster defence and a smart pass in the tackle by fly-half Tom Benbow saw winger Rob Milnes score in the corner in the thirdminute. Even when Lancaster had the ball, they could find no holes in York’s defence. Good tackles by Nick Mason and Dan Newcombe kept the red rose pinned in their own half.
Strong play by the mobile York pack freed up the back line and slick handling by Mason, Benbow and Wilson left outside centre Danny Stacey with a clear run for to the posts. He was stopped short by the speedy Lancaster halfbacks, who had to kill the ball to keep it from being stolen, and Wilson scored through a tackle after taking the penalty quickly. Rob Milnes slotted home the conversion from in front of the posts to give York a 12 point lead.
The large deficit was a wake-up call for the Lancaster forwards however, who started stealing the ball at lineouts and rucks.T he first Lancaster try was scored off a rolling maul, driving their flanker over after taking their own line-out. The second came when the ball went straight to the flanker, who simply flopped over the line for the try, which was duly converted to bring Lancaster even at the end of the first half.
The second half started with Lancaster on the front foot, and it was not long until they outmuscled the York pack again, driving another maul over for their third try, which was then converted.While the red rose had a tough time withstanding the opposite scrum’s pressure, in the loose and line-out their height and size was a telling advantage. The loss of winger and kicker Rob Milnes for concussion also proved a blow for the home side.
Lancaster’s backs exploited a rare York mistake, stealing a pass gone to ground and spreading the ball right before the York defence could set up, sending the fly-half over line in the far corner.
Searching for a way back in, it was York’s scrummaging technique, one of the team’s strong points, which forced the red rose to collapse again, and the referee awarding a penalty try. However, just as York were frantically looking for chinks in Lancaster’s defence, needing a converted try to win, a bad pass went to ground, spelling defeat for the white rose.
1. Chris McKain
2. Simon Murrells
3. Jason Gabb
4. Joe Peach
5. Jon Kume-Davy
6. Paul Goodall
7. Jack Wakeling
8. Dave Almond
9. Chris Fox
10. Thomas Benbow
11. Rob Milnes
12. Dan Newcombe
13. Danny Stacey
14. Nick Mason
15. James Wilson
16. Alex Corp
17. Luke Brazier
18. Mike Callis
19. Hugh Wigzell
20. Warwick Burrows
21. Sebastian Hurst
22. Dave Lowe
