Yarnbury...36 Hull...5

YARNBURY got off to another blistering start which set the platform for a comfortable 36-5 victory at home to Hull on Saturday.

Three penalties in the opening ten minutes from Steve Riley settled the home side who ran in five tries to record their fifth league victory of the season.

With fly-half Steve Galbraith running the show through an excellent tactical display, the visitors Hull were penned back in their own half for the whole of the opening 40 minutes.

Man-of-the-match and blind side flanker Aidy Moule barged his way through a number of defenders for Yarnbury's first of the day, which was just reward for a quality performance.

Full-back Kris Lilley then cut a mean swath through a disintegrating Hull defence for Yarnbury's second and, with Riley unable to convert either try, the home side turned round 19-0 in front.

As the referee blew his whistle to start the second-half, it was not a case of if Yarnbury would win, but by how much.

The home pack were the dominant force in the match, playing a tight game in the poor conditions and controlling the ball for long periods of play.

Front-rowers Andy Rivett, Phil Sutton (props) and Martin Booth (hooker) took the challenge to their opposite numbers and emerged head and shoulders the victors.

Five minutes into the second-half, wiry winger John Bramham crossed for his 11th try of the season and Yarnbury's best of the day.

The scene was then set for the Marshall brothers to cap off a solid display from the Horsforth side.

Elder brother Andy showed there is still gas in the old legs yet when he won a foot race for a Galbraith kick through and touched down for Yarnbury's fourth of the day.

To a roar from the crowd, Steve Riley actually managed to convert the extras giving the home side a 31-0 lead.

Andy's brother Paul, playing at number eight, then completed the scoring for the Horsforth outfit when he romped over from 15 yards out after some deft interplay with scrum-half and skipper Steve Lee.

With the game won, Yarnbury called the changes and gave a league debut to promising young prop Richard Sharpe.

The visitors, though, were to have the last say when a shocking clearance attempt from stand-in winger Steve Mather went backwards over his own try line, offering a simple touchdown for his opposite number.

Skipper Steve Lee, leading his team to third place in their new league, was satisfied with the result, despite the fact that his team took the foot off the gas in the final 15 minutes. This week Yarnbury take a rest from league rugby before a difficult round of matches in November.

On Wednesday Lee's boys will be out in force to support their second team colleagues in the final of the Morley Floodlit Second XV competition, kick-off 7.30pm.

Crossleyans...5 Yarnbury Third XV...26

YARNBURY Thirds notched up their sixth win of the season with a blend of youth and experience.

Yorkshire Under-18's Andy Keagan and Adam Pike coming into the side and the return of skipper Matthew Brown at scrum half and the youthful Ken Dodds making his third team debut at fly-half made for an entertaining afternoon in windswept Halifax.

Playing with the wind and the slope in the first-half Yarnbury capitalised on the conditions and it wasn't long before Darren Lewis went over the line only to be blown into touch by Crossleyan's winger.

From the '22 drop out Yarnbury were awarded a penalty which was run in by Andy Evans to give the visitors their first score.

The rest of the first-half was much of the same, with Yarnbury playing 15-man rugby, with Andy Keagan bagging a brace, Mick Pound going over and Paul Oldridge slotting three conversions, Yarnbury turned round 26-0 ahead.

The second-half Yarnbury defended stoutly as Crossleyans kicked the ball down the hill and after half-an-hour they finally scored.

Yarnbury were not to be outdone and in true third team spirit kept ball in hand and endeavoured to take the game to the home side.

Unfortunately Forest Lunn fell foul to the sniper's bullet on three occasions when he was clear and it left the visitors with nothing to show from the second-half except the fact the spirit in defence was good enough to win 26-5.

Yarnbury Fourths...10 Menwith Hill...12

YARNBURY Nomads welcomed Menwith Hill to Brownberrie Lane for their annual fixture on Saturday.

With conditions reminiscent of the Everglades, both sides competed well and provided an entertaining show for the travelling fans. Menwith Hill showed good skill from the start and breached the Nomad's defence after only two minutes.

This lead was extended half-an-hour later to 12-0 when the Nomad's defence crumbled under Menwith's pressure.

With plenty of support from the side line, Yarnbury struck back minutes later, Hazelhurst bursting through the visitor's back line to score in the corner.

The Nomad's skipper rallied his team to good effect during half-time.

Yarnbury's defence denied Menwith Hill any further points in the game, but unfortunately a second try from Hazelhurst was not enough to clinch a draw, as the conversion attempt fell short of the posts.