MISSED opportunities cost Yarnbury on Saturday as they lost 17-14 at Ripon.

Yarnbury have been struggling to close out games this season due to unavailability and injuries to key personnel.

However, with returning players the club are hopeful for an upturn in recent fortunes after losing a clutch of league games by close margins.

For the trip to old foes Ripon, Yarnbury welcomed back James Barrett in the back row. In the backs, captain James White moved to stand off and the centre pairing of Joe Pinnick and Tom O’Brien were a new partnership this season returning after work commitments.

Also returning on the wing was Josh Bateson and George Oldridge at full back with Josh Bell moving to the wing.

The opening exchanges were all Yarnbury after the Ripon eight creaked in the scrummage against the Yarnbury pack.

Everything was under control for the first quarter with Ripon defending their lines but Yarnbury could not force a try as the defence held out.

Yarnbury backs had plenty of the ball with the forwards regularly over the gain line but wingers Bateson and Bell were pulled up short and the home side gave away too many penalties and eventually from close range White hit full back George Oldridge with an over the shoulder pass for the full back to dive over unopposed between the posts. Centre Joe Pinnick converting for Yarnbury to take the lead.

Ripon finally were stirred into action and it was Yarnbury’s turn to defend but their line escaped when winger Oli Williams cut inside and was stopped with the line gaping. With a strong wind blowing diagonally across the pitch it favoured neither side but one wondered if Yarnbury had not done enough with their superiority in this first half. However they increased their lead after the break with forward pressure.

Jimmy Cryan finished off forward pressure out on the right and Pinnick converted for a precious two points.

Sadly, it was not enough as Ripon roared back pinning the away side into their own half and only occasionally breaking out but not finishing clear breaks down the middle by Pinnick in particular.

Ripon clawed their way back into the game firstly by winger Williams for their first five points, followed later by the other winger Will Audsley-beck on the right diving in the corner having spread the Yarnbury cover.

Neither converted but two penalties from stand off Oli Davies around the second try gave Ripon a win at the death and once again a close defeat for the away side.