Buoyant Baildon target more silver (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Buoyant Baildon target more silver

7:41pm Sunday 13th May 2012 in Sport By Bill Marshall, T&A Sports Reporter

Hemsworth 3 Baildon 33

Baildon’s bandwagon rolls on.

Just eight days after winning the RFU Junior Vase at Twickenham in their centenary year, the Jenny Laners are through to the Yorkshire Silver Trophy final against Thornensians next Sunday at Pontefract RUFC (2.00).

They survived a tense first half today in which they blew several try-scoring opportunities at Hemsworth’s Moxon Fields.

Baildon, who finished six places and 31 points above Thorne in Yorkshire Three, only led 6-3 approaching half-time thanks to two Jake Duxbury penalties to one by Dave Gorton.

But JJ O’Connell’s try just before half-time, despite a wayward Craig Woodhall pass, gave the Jenny Laners breathing space for the second half, when a changeable wind was generally in their favour.

The visitors gave the hosts a lesson after the interval and scored four more tries, two by right winger Hayden Lister and others by centre Dominic Atwal, after an incisive Alistair Beaumont break, and scrum half James Dawson.

Jake Duxbury added a conversion but missed a penalty into the wind from halfway.

“We won it because of our speed at the breakdown,” said Baildon’s coach Dave Duxbury, “but the first ten minutes were what we expected with Hemsworth coming at us.

“We didn’t get out of third gear but the lads who came in from the start, such as Joe Robinson at hooker and my son Jake at No 10, did really well, and Phil Wilson belied his age after coming on.

“As for the final, we should have Nicky Lister and Ben Newton back but we may be missing Marcus Dracup due to work commitments.”

Andy Pollard is another who could come into contention but Kiwi Jarrod Huss is not available.

Tom Craven, who came on yesterday as replacement hooker for the last 35 minutes, missed the whole Twickenham experience from a playing point of view because of a broken hand suffered against North-allerton six weeks ago.

He couldn’t even go to watch because he had to work as a shelf stacker at Sainsbury’s.

The 25-year-old said: “The lads wanted me to come down last weekend but I had to work.

“However, I had no pain from the hand and hopefully the lads can win next weekend and get through their RFU Junior Vase groups, quarter-final and semi-final next season and give me a chance of playing at Twick-enham with them.”

Next Sunday could mark a trophy quadruple for Baildon as they have also won the Roundhegians Tens in pre-season and could also lift the Brian Hawkins Memorial Trophy, which is played annually between Thorne and Baildon in honour of a joint club member.

The score stands at a match apiece after the league encounters.