Yorkshire Division Two: Old Grovians 21 Thornensians 27

THE fact that Old Grovians earned a bonus point with only 14 men for the last 35 minutes made them wonder what they would have achieved had they been able to field 15 players for all of the second half.

With a number of players already out, the hosts again called on seniors Dave Roberts and Mark Harwood, but even with new signing Harry Hardy they were a replacement short of a full complement.

Thorne were quick off the mark, getting two penalties within the first seven minutes, missing the first but converting the second, and this was swiftly followed two minutes later by a well-taken drop goal to give them a 6-0 lead.

Old Grovians started to get into their game, with Joe Garforth and Joe Sowden making ground in the phases gaining ground, but they needed full back Anthony Griffin to intercept a pass as Thorn threatened a first try.

He then ran upfield but the supporting Johnathan Gilbert pulled up with a thorn hamstring, so,ten yards out, Griffin chipped over the last two defenders but the kick was just too strong.

Thorne responded well with a converted try to make it 13-0 but the home side, who almost scored via Griffin's inside pass, did get over when Ben Brown swiftly fed Harry Garforth from a line-out, who broke left and right to score for Brown to convert.

Grovians then lost Harry Dunhill with a bad wrist injury, using their last replacement just before the interval.

Leading 13-7, the visitors were quickly off the mark in the second half, and had the bonus of Griffin pulling up with hamstring trouble, leaving them a player short from the 45th minute.

However, Sowden bagged Grovians' second try to reduce the gap to a point before taking the lead via a Brown penalty, who added another to make it 18-13.

But Thorne made the extra man count with two quick converted tries, only for the hosts, for whom Hardy carried on despite a leg injury, to keep the visitors pinned in their half.

Harwood had to play in three different positions due to the injuries, while Lewis Brook made some big hits and some strong carries, and they were rewarded for their pluck when Brown earned a losing bonus point with a 77th-minute penalty.