Yorkshire Division Three: Baildon 15 Bramley Phoenix 11

MISERABLE drizzly conditions are not conducive to Baildon’s running rugby, and the omens were poor for their home derby against Bramley Phoenix.

But from the kick-off, the visitors put themselves under pressure by knocking on, Baildon - boosted by a rare start for prop Joe Smith, who was released from Ilkley butcher Lishmans for the day - winning the first scrum easily.

Exerting control through the phases, the hosts' Jamie Vening placed a beautiful kick into the corner that the Phoenix winger, under pressure from an excellent chase, could do nothing with except concede a put-in at the line out.

James Fox then secured front ball, and it was distributed to Matt Withers, who ghosted through the Bramley defence to score under the sticks, JJ O’Connell adding the extras for 7-0.

At the restart, it was Baildon’s turn to knock on but Phoenix were shunted off their own ball, only to concede a penalty at the reset scrum, Bramley kicking to the corner and scoring from a catch and drive.

Baildon continued to exert pressure and, after visiting tacklers went neck high, O'Connell kicked a penalty to make it 10-5.

However, he missed another shot at goal when Bramley were offside after Baildon had gone through ten phases.

From a Phoenix clearing kick, however, Baildon's man of the match Robbie Hill collected the ball at pace and, after Matty Robinson and O'Connell had been involved and the latter held just short, Hill came on a beautiful inside line to take a sweetly-timed pass to score by pirouetting out of a tackle.

A high tackle by Withers then provoked a flurry of Phoenix fists but the penalty was not reversed, the visitors landing it for 15-8 and, five minutes later, over sailed another one after Baildon were penalised for failing to release a tackler.

The visitors pressed and probed but Baildon's defence held firm, with Phil Wilson pushing a Bramley lock into touch and kick to the in-goal area rolling dead just before the chasing Bramley players could touch it down.

From a five-yard scrum, Bramley were marched back to the 22 where Smith secured the ball by prising it from a Phoenix player's grasp man in what was the last play of the match.