York RI 27 Skipton 12

THERE are times when you know it's just not going to be your day. That was the case when Skipton visited New Lane in a vital Yorkshire Division Three clash, which the home team had to win to preserve their promotion hopes.

York RI started the brighter of the two sides, but Skipton gradually began to assert themselves.

Eventually Adam Winthrop won clean lineout ball, the forwards drove and the backs were released. In a perfectly executed move, left wing Paul Lacy stepped inside to burst between the centres and sliced through the defence to score without a finger being laid on him after 12 minutes.

Although Oldfield's conversion failed, an early 5-0 lead was just what the doctor ordered and things looked even brighter on 23 minutes when another lineout drive resulted in good ball for Darren Howson to sprint through a gap and score just to the right of the posts. Oldfield converted for a 12-0 lead and everything seemed to be going to plan.

In stand off Matthew Yates, York RI had a lively player, always quick to look for a gap and link with his forwards. From one of his bursts, it seemed that a try would result, but a knock on as the line beckoned gave Skipton a scrum.

However, Duncan Brown's kick failed to find touch and the ball was run back strongly by the right winger. He linked with his centres and John Wong scored, with Yates converting to bring the score back to 12-7 on 35 minutes.

It was at this point that it all went pear shaped. Smithson gathered a speculative kick through and ran it back to the York forwards. He received a bit of a roughing up in the ruck that ensued and when it broke up, he was laid motionless on the ground. Fortunately there was a doctor at the game who recommended he should not be moved and that an ambulance should be called. The referee blew for half time and it was fully half an hour later before the game recommenced.

The home side needed the tonic of an early score in the second half and only the alertness of Smithson's replacement, Matthew Cox, prevented this as he tidied up a kick through. From the line, RI released their inside centre Kehoe on the crash and he scored under the posts, although Yates missed the conversion to leave the scores tied at 12-12.

Oldfield had a chance to restore the lead with a penalty kick, but this was hooked wide and from then on RI took the game by the scruff of the neck. They were helped somewhat by the sight of Myles McDuff being led from the field with ruptured stomach muscles, Andy Phillip taking his place.

The home team took the lead with a Yates penalty and shortly after had the chance to extend that advantage, but this time the kick was wide. With just five minutes remaining, outside centre Ward sealed the game with a try by the posts, with Yates again missing the conversion.

In injury time Skipton pressed for a try to narrow the score, but the final pass to Lacy was intercepted by Maddigan who ran the length of the field to score under the posts, Yates this time kicking the conversion to make the score 27-12 and to herald the final whistle.

SOME encouragement for the Skipton selectors comes from the fact that 'A' team beat York RI second team 62-5 to register their eighth successive win, four tries from powerhouse centre John Firth being the major individual contribution.

Skipton quickly imposed their superiority when Alex Farquhar crossed for the first of the Reds ten tries.

Kieran Coe added the first of his six conversions and Skipton were on the march.

York stuck to their defensive task throughout, but tries came at regular intervals. After constant pressure, Firth went over twice following good work from John Beaufoy and Farquhar, and then skipper Carl Watts fed Adrian Holliday for his first try at second-team level. Fly-half Nigel Buck capped a fine flowing movement with his side's fifth try to give them a 31-0 interval lead.

After the break, York came back strongly and scored a deserved try, but Skipton were quick to respond. Gary Heims increased Skipton's tally via a back-row move, Firth powered over for another two tries and others from David Swindlehurst and Heims capped a comfortable success.

Skipton Thirds edged out Wharfedale Sixths 18-15 in a rousing struggle that was in doubt to the death.

Wharfedale opened with a well-worked try involving both forwards and backs in the build-up, but Skipton responded with a try of their own through Berry which Sharpe converted. Both sides then added penalties before the visitors went ahead again when they converted a penalty in the Skipton 22 into a try.

Skipton's pack took greater control after the interval, pushing the visitors deep into their own 22 and Pat Law bulldozed his way over.

With five minutes remaining, Skipton saw a penalty shot strike the post, but they responded more quickly to the rebound and when Wharfedale were adjudged to have killed the ball, Sharpe made no mistake with the winning penalty.