A COMBINATION of university open days and the Super League Grand Final meant a depleted Baildon travelled to Stocksbridge, losing 20-5 in wet, cold and windy conditions in Yorkshire Division Three.

The visitors, for whom Matt Fox carried well, had the upper hand in the first quarter, playing with the slope but against the wind.

However, their offloads and line-out throws were too ambitious in the conditions and they spurned a much easier penalty than the one Matty Robinson missed, turning round 3-0 behind after the hosts had slotted a penalty.

Although Stocksbridge regained possession at the start of the second half as Baildon were caught cold, they forced a pass and Luke Strauss hacked it on before belly-flopping on it over the line.

Despite Danny Pollard seemingly making every second tackle for Baildon, it was the hosts who improved in the second half and their scrum half scored a try to give them an 8-5 lead.

Baildon rallied, with Dan Fletcher being bundled into touch just short of the try line and Josh Strauss having a try disallowed.

The visitors then conceded two silly penalties, the second of which earned Will Tomlinson a yellow card for a high tackle – and Stocksbridge took advantage with a converted try and a try after Baildon kicked the restart dead.

The visitors finished strongly, however, when they were back to 15 men, Fletcher's wicked kick forcing Stocksbridge to carry the ball over their own line and concede a five-metre scrum.

Scrum half Ollie Williams, 17, sparkled in an otherwise lacklustre Baildon team performance but was on the receiving end of another high tackle that caused some concern on the touchline for the teenager's welfare.

Stocksbridge played better as the game progressed but Baildon should have turned pressure into points and were the authors of their own misfortune with poor tactical awareness, odd decision-making and poor execution.