Continuing the poor fortune from last week, Ripon whilst showing spirit and determination, succumbed to the power of a better side. Confident in understanding West Park Leeds’ strength and weaknesses, Ripon approached the game positively and enthusiastically. Holding the League’s current runners up to a 15 – 20 defeat at Ripon back in September (when the odd win and bonus point defeats were the order of the day), gave the side some hope that playing an expansive game was sure to be key to success. What transpired however, was a repetition of Ripon trying to run at every opportunity, but failing to capitalise on their back line’s skills and abilities and West Park Leeds grinding out the forward game until safe to let their backs have the ball.

On a horrible day with Arctic weather, at least the wind didn’t beat about the bush. It went through everything and everyone, but thankfully blew consistently across the pitch for the whole game. Those encamped in the grandstand therefore needed long range vision to watch almost the entire game played on the far touchline. The weather conditions however, didn’t seem to impact badly on either side, handling errors were minimal and with no obvious immediate advantage in trying to kick for position, Ripon sought to run the ball from the outset.

Ripon kicked off and enjoyed a brief dalliance in the home half before the home forwards took the close order play seriously and gradually trundled Ripon back to their 22 metre area. It was in this part of the field that play remained for the next 10 minutes before Ripon’s repeated efforts to break out with ball in hand finally paid off, though only as far as the half way line. Uncomfortable with the kicking option, which may just have paid off eventually, Ripon were repeatedly punished by counter attacks from the home side and difficult to understand refereeing decisions. Ripon’s keenness to attack was gradually snuffed out by robust home defence, but chiefly by ball carriers outrunning their support. Ripon therefore never really looked like putting together sustainable attacks to end in scoring opportunities and the prospect of a try was a long shot.

That said, the tenacity of Ripon defensively and the irritation of their constant counter-attacking, kept the score to a palatable 14 – 0 at half time. The home side waited 20 minutes before their first try, which came from them knocking Ripon off a scrum put in and rapidly organising to score between the posts. The conversion being helped in by the woodwork. Another period of attack and riposte (For fellow “Gloyt” Forum readers, this is a Fencing expression. For the avoidance of doubt, the kind of Fencing one does with swords, rather than for keeping t’ livestock under control).

West Park’s second score was again as a result of their scrum supremacy. At the 32 minute mark after a series of “difficult” scrums within Ripon’s five metre area, the referee, without prior warning of sanctions, “saved” Ripon from further indignity by awarding a penalty try to WPL. The conversion in front of the posts, unlike a similar opportunity with no wind in the September game, sailed through for the extra two points.

Key learning from the first half was that the power of the home scrum and its devastating impact on Ripon’s primary possession, was going to spoil Ripon’s plans. In a “Groundhog Day” repeat of 27th September, Ripon were clinically marched back at every scrum, sometimes even faster in reverse than an Italian tank.
Sterling as usual at the base was Dud Stead in gamely rescuing what was workable from the melee. Losing territory in the process, however, was never going to be enough to counter the ascendancy of WPL as they systematically snuffed out Ripon’s options.

Cruel losses through injury to influential Lock Barker, speedy Winger Buckley and effervescent Flanker Findlay, didn’t help Ripon’s situation and the untimely loss of “Firm but fair” tight head prop Sadler, with a career first yellow card exacerbated the scrum problem. That phase of the game aside and notwithstanding WPL’s well-deserved six tries, Ripon fought like lions from start to finish and left the pitch with heads held high.

A highlight of the team’s previous encounter this season and of course in several other matches, was the Ripon back line, which sought to exploit pace and evasion from limited openings. A shame then, that despite living on scraps from first phase possession, the team with its blend of youth and experience and raw talent, can’t make more of their potential. Plenty to work on.

Whilst the courage of the Ripon forwards is faultless, the Ripon backs in open play seemed to have more of an exciting edge than the home side. Though WPL did make more of their territorial kicking chances, when they could, there didn’t seem to be much out wide to threaten. Hats off must go however to the home team’s tall, young, substantially built and very quick, Inside Centre, who throughout the game dragged more and more defenders into stopping him and thus creating their scoring chances in the second half.

The next week sees Ripon at home to fourth-placed Barnsley in another crunch game. Knowing that next week’s visitors also have an effective forward unit, it will be time to dig even deeper into the resolve to keep the ball alive and play better to Ripon’s undoubted strengths. All home support very welcome and now is the time to show the players that there is confidence in their ability to start fighting for survival and winning.