Skipton 12 Heath 17

SKIPTON'S defeat by promotion rivals Heath was a game unlikely to last long in anyone's memory, a game which matched the weather - grey, overcast and dreary.

The visitors had their match winner in full-back Gleeson, who scored all their points with a try and four penalties, while Skipton had only the scant consolation of knowing that, even with four forwards missing, they had the chances to win the game.

Bob Birks took his place on the bench after missing the last three games, but McDuff, Howarth and Scrivin remained on the injured list. Kiwi John Beaufoy made his first-team debut on the flank, and Mark Davidson took over at number eight, with Darren Howson returning at stand off and Mike Beech being moved to replacement duties.

It soon became apparent that referee Bearshaw was determined to impose himself on the game, with penalty awards to both teams at virtually every breakdown, and after 12 minutes Heath had a kick at goal which Gleeson converted to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. The lead was to be short-lived, however, as from the restart, Heath infringed and Oldfield slotted an equalising kick. Unfortunately that set the fare for the rest of the afternoon as the game was continuously punctuated by a shrill whistle from a referee who had no apparent desire to see a flowing game of rugby - to the great frustration of a very large, but increasingly subdued, crowd.

After 20 minutes, Heath took a 6-3 lead with another penalty, but again Skipton levelled two minutes later with an Oldfield penalty. Skipton then had a spell of pressure and seemed to be coming to terms with the abrasive Heath tactics.

Skipton increasingly tried to bring their most dangerous back, George Smithson, into the game and he crossed the Heath line in the 38th minute, only to be denied by the referee who decided that the maul had been stationary and Heath should have a scrummage. An 11-6 lead at half time would have been a real bonus, particularly with the advantage of a diagonal wind to come in the second half, but Skipton were probably satisfied with a 6-6 scoreline at that stage, particularly as Heath were back onto the attack as the half closed.

Just three minutes after the interval, Heath were again penalised, but, from 40 metres out, Oldfield's kick was swept wide by the strengthening breeze. Heath then transgressed again on the 22, Oldfield this time converting to give Skipton a 9-6 lead. Skipton got an inkling that it wasn't to be their day when, five minutes later, an innocuous looking Heath kick felled the referee, causing him to stop the game for running repairs. The game restarted with a Heath scrum and from that Gleeson entered the line to score on the right flank, his attempted conversion just failing. Yet again Heath were penalised from the restart in a kickable position, but unfortunately the breeze again carried Oldfield's kick wide.

On 55 minutes, Oldfield regained the lead for Skipton at 12-11 with another penalty, this time for a collapsed scrum, and that lead should have been extended, but another penalty chance went begging. At this stage Heath became frustrated with the referee and their scrum half was sin-binned for dissent, Oldfield again narrowly failing to convert the penalty.

On many occasions this season Skipton have finished the stronger, but this time it wasn't to be as the visitors rallied well in the last 10 minutes. Gleeson regained the lead for Heath at 14-12 with another penalty and Skipton never looked like scoring again as Heath monopolised possession, eventually extending their lead to 17-12 with the last kick of the game, another penalty for Gleeson.

The game left Skipton with plenty to think about. The lineout hasn't functioned well in recent weeks and as a consequence, continuity of possession is difficult to obtain. The attacking options seemed limited, particularly with Smithson on the wing rather than the usual full-back position, and without Myles McDuff and Chris Howarth, the forwards struggled to make much impression going forward. The result, of course, is not the end of any promotion challenge and may be just the encouragement and incentive needed to make the players realise that further success will only come from a lot of hard work both on the playing field and in training.