In a game in which various components worked well, the whole team performance didn’t overall and a third defeat on the trot was the very unwelcome outcome. Admittedly, some short notice changes in availability meant a different line up from normal, but there was nobody on the pitch who didn’t deserve their place, nor did anyone look out of place individually. Thus showing sufficient strength in depth to field a team with eight players from the previous week’s selected side missing, the replacements and recalls integrated seamlessly into the team and the game plan. No strangers to each other, due to great commitment to training as a squad, the Ripon players knew exactly what to do in all areas of the game, but just couldn’t get ahead of the opposition when it mattered. The key differences between Ripon and Wath, were Ripon’s continued lack of cohesion in sustaining attacking phases to turn pressure into points and Wath’s sheer determination to contest everywhere that they could.

As a mid-table clash; neither team had much to play for apart from pride and to test their resilience. Wath certainly came out on top in this respect and made the most of the possession they gained where they could. With the home side dominating the scrums and taking a number of balls against the head, it should have been a signal to exert domination all over the game. Sadly for Ripon the lineout was less effective than usual and the ability of Ripon’s back row to contest the breakdown, was hampered by unsympathetic refereeing. Wath therefore had ample opportunities to turn poor possession into something workable and stifled Ripon’s attempts to play an open and expansive game, or use their possession to better effect.

The return of teenager Harry Cleary on the Wing and the combined efforts of Buckley and Leeming, sought to keep Ripon’s attacking options alive with ball in hand. However, the heavy conditions and greasy ball took their toll on the creativity that the back three sought to use and reduced them mostly to stout defensive roles. Cleary bounced back into action after nearly a three-month layoff, and using his blistering pace and aggression, scored two fine individual tries to keep Ripon in the running and secure a losing bonus point.

In midfield, Spilman and Newby tackled fearlessly and battered on the crash balls, but were unable to penetrate as much as they had hoped for. Similarly, the half back pairing of McRobert and Tombling, tried hard to get things moving, but no clear advantage came from their probes or kicks. Perhaps the single negative point of Ripon’s game was the high number of needless penalties conceded. Well into double figures, this week’s penalty count cost several yards in lost territory, one yellow card and a 5 - 6 second half win for the visitors as they kept their cool in what became a very dour contest.

With four changes in the starting pack from last week, there may have been some nervousness about continuing the theme of scrum domination. Not so, with the likes of Wolloms and Sadler recalled and both making such an impact as to suggest that Ripon are indeed a scrummaging force to be reckoned with. Alas a game isn’t won on scrums alone and so the advantage of destroying the opposition’s set piece is short lived if the possession isn’t used to good effect and the opposition isn’t shut down in all other areas of the game.

Wath kicked off to Ripon with no wind, but a heavy pitch to contend with. A fumble from the attempted catch gave Wath a scrum, which despite being battered by the home side, resulted in a quick passage of the ball to their Right Wing, who almost got to the line to score within two minutes. Solid defence by Leeming and Buckley saw the ball cleared for a Wath throw in at five metres from the home line. In perhaps the visitor’s only poor line out of the game, Callum Findlay gathered the overthrow to launch a counter attack that put the home team back into mid-field.

The next few minutes saw numerous exchanges between the two sides, with Ripon gaining the ascendancy in the scrum and Wath cleverly working out the line outs. The loss of Ripon Scrum Half McRobert at the end of the first quarter for a difference of opinion from the referee, put the visitors in a good place for the next few minutes and saw them use their extra person to good advantage. At 21 minutes a Wath penalty kick to touch resulted in the inevitable line out catch and drive. A trundle in from 10 metres saw the visitors open the scoring with a converted try.

With their tails up from the score, the visitors continued to make the most of their limited scrum possession and Ripon continued to squander attacking options through poor decision making and unforced errors. Playing with more confidence, Wath took a further opportunity to close in on Ripon with another penalty touch kick toward the 30-minute mark. The line out catch and drive was this time snuffed out at source with brave defensive work from Barker. Wath however, regrouped and set about some short order work to batter at the defence. The visitor’s efforts finally paid off after a number of phases to reward them with a further unconverted try.

With time running out for the half, Wath kept up their relentless attacks and sought to keep Ripon under pressure. A well placed kick deep into Ripon’s 22 metre area gave Harry Cleary the chance to test out his recently healed injury. Making no mistake of rounding his man, Cleary then burst through the next two tacklers, to sprint past the remaining defenders to relieve the pressure and open the scoring for Ripon with his fifth 1st XV try. Tombling coolly added the conversion to make the score a reasonable 7 – 12 as the whistle blew for half time.

The half time team talk focused on doing the basics right, exploiting the scrummage strength and reducing the penalty count. The second half certainly saw a general improvement in tackling and ball retention, so Ripon played with more consistency as the game went on. Defensively the whole team stepped up and Wath never looked like getting anywhere near scoring another try. The Wath lineout was sacked repeatedly and no momentum was gained from any attempts to use that as an attacking platform. The Ripon lineout however, remained less productive, but as the ball got heavier in the boggy conditions, the ball in the air was never going to fly truly for either side. The scrum domination worked for Ripon well and yielded good penalty opportunities, but not in goal kicking range. The giving away of penalties however, did become an issue and was perhaps the deciding factor in the game.

From the second half restart, Ripon sought to close the game down and so did well to reduce the visitors’ opportunity to break out. After just five minutes of looking for space, the visitors’ Fly Half sent a clearance kick back into the Ripon half. McRobert gathered and fed Tombling to set up the counter attack. Covering some good midfield yardage, Tombling released the ball to Cleary who set off on another of his Mercurial runs, which split the defence apart and saw him run in for his second try of the game. Tombling was just wide with his conversion attempt, but Ripon took great comfort in levelling the scores at 12 – 12.

The elation was short lived though as the visitors eased their way back up-field. A penalty goal at 12 minutes into the half put Wath back into the lead at 12 – 15 and it just seemed that Ripon couldn’t get a strangle hold on the game, nor were they prepared to sit back and let the honours go to the visitors. Wath didn’t look like getting close to scoring any more tries due to Ripon’s outstanding defence, but they did nudge the score up at the end of the third quarter and with ten minutes left to play, with two well struck penalty goals to put the score tantalisingly in front.

Ripon’s defining moment of the second half came just after the first of the two penalties from the opposition. Cleary was again involved in a scything run through the defence and managed to hook up with effervescent and ever present Euan Findlay, to carry on the attack. Momentum was however lost close to the Wath line and an unfortunate penalty decision snuffed out Ripon’s last attacking attempt. Close, but no cigar!

Winning ways will undoubtedly return. Mid table is a temporary place and not an aspiration. Every player who turns out each week knows what the club and its teams are capable of. Ambition, courage and belief. Three words that resonate with more players each week as the message gets through from the coaching team. A difficult time of year as well as the time of the season. We are carrying many injuries and numerous pressures tell on the playing membership, not to mention the weather. This must be a time for revival of playing efforts all round. We must aspire to winning ways for all teams and an aspiration to field three teams every week.

Next week, Ripon travel to Castleford, who haven’t experienced much good fortune this season despite beating Ripon at home back in October and both sides clearly looking to improve on recent form. The kick off will be at 2.15pm and a coach is being provided for the team and as many travelling well-wishers can be accommodated. All support, as always, is very welcome.