At this point in the season, most Club’s squads will look quite different from September’s starting line-up, Ripon travelled to Knottingley with eight changes from the season’s earlier encounter in October and some hope that their tried and tested back line of the past few weeks, would do the business, as long as their pack supplied sufficient quality possession. With a yet again, rearranged front row, Ripon welcomed the return of Craig Wolloms, absent since October due to injury, back into the fold. “Wolly” at 43, showed grit and determination as well as standards of fitness that will put much younger 1st XV aspirants in many positions, to shame. However, despite Wolloms’ best efforts, Ripon still struggled at the scrum, which hampered significantly their opportunities to attack effectively from first phase possession. Heroic efforts from Dud Stead, who played perhaps his most outstanding game of the season, saw him pick from the base of a desperately retreating scrum, time after time, to make the hard yards from which Ripon launched several penetrating attacks.

Knottingley were also in the same situation, with a number of key players missing either through injury or domestic commitments, so Ripon sought to exploit any apparent weaknesses in the home team’s armour. That they did and in a game that saw neither side pull too far in front, Ripon just held their resolve to see the game through to a bonus point winning conclusion. A joyous moment indeed, to beat the opposition in “Fortress Knottingley”, but with Ripon’s game plan to come away with one point, the outcome was beyond their expectations. The home side to their credit, had a rock solid scrum and organised themselves well off the ball in attack and communicated well in defence. If there was a criticism to be levelled at Knottingley, it was their rapid slip into unconstructive negativity to each other and indiscipline in front of a sharp referee. Ripon also conceded far too many penalties, mostly for holding on in the tackle as their attacks outran the nearest support. Had Knottingley opted for more goal kicks from penalties, they might have been in a different position at full time, but focusing on the ball handling options was probably their downfall. The home team were then guilty of too many unforced handling errors as they rushed matters and the two bullet passes to their Touch Judge, suggested more of his role as their 16th man that meets the eye.

Ripon opted to play with the Arctic wind that blew straight down the pitch in the first half, in the hope to exploit any territorial advantage it offered. The damning statistic that there were no line outs in the first 20 minutes of the game, showed that there was a nervousness to let the wind do the talking and a reliance on handling and close support to move the ball downfield. Fortunately it worked, but one must ask the question, if the wind had been used effectively to pin Knottingley into a tighter defensive situation, would the outcome have been better for Ripon? We’ll never know. What Ripon did do, was to ensure that their ball retention was much improved on recent performances and they strung together several phases on play on numerous occasions. The outcomes of these phases were either scores, or penalties for holding on in the tackle, so if the team can increase its mobility to support attacks, this bodes well for the future.

For the record, scores came from Tom Leeming, with a try at 8 minutes after a six phase move initiated by Joe Duffield. Leeming narrowly hooked the conversion attempted, blaming the angle of his kicking tee. Six minutes later, Rob Nicholson finished off a move started by a lightning strike from Euan Findlay up the left wing from a turnover ball. Leeming added the conversion from in front of the posts. At the 20 minute mark, Knottingley exploited the absence of a yellow carded Ripon player, to turn a penalty touch kick into an effective line out catch and drive that brought their Left Wing in on a fine angle to score between the posts, the conversion being a formality. Undeterred, Ripon pressed on and forced the home side back into defensive mode and Leeming was unlucky to hook another attempt at goal from a penalty opportunity. Knottingley fought back from the drop out restart to push Ripon back to their own 22 metre area. Repeated attacks saw the home team cross the line, only to lose the score to a refereeing decision that the ball had been knocked on. Ripon contented themselves with the 7 – 12 lead and scrummage aside, there was a pretty even contest to be won.

Ripon started the second half well, with a deep kick into the wind. Holding the breakout attempts sternly, Ripon turned over the ball and strung what seemed near ten phases of play together (probably less) that ended in a penalty opportunity. With a really effective five man lineout, Ripon went for the touch kick and line out catch and drive. Stead pulled the ball in safely for the rest of the forwards to join in for probably the only successful catch and drive attempt of the season so far. The driving maul pushed the defenders back a full 10 metres before someone noticed the whitewash on the grass to enable Euan Findlay to graciously drop to the ground for his first try of the season. Leeming’s tee failed him again in the conversion attempt and Knottingley fired themselves up for more action. At 15 minutes into the second half, the home side found themselves in a similar situation and exploited the line out with a fine catch and drive to close the score to 12 – 17. Knottingley added a further two unconverted tries to their scoreboard through sustained and intense attacking play. Ripon fought back well and continued to look after the ball well enough to keep in front with a further try from skipper Adam Newcombe, with Leeming finally working out the angle of his tee to add the conversion.

Despite being reduced to 14 men for the last 10 minutes with George Foster being yellow carded for a dump tackle, which surprised everyone with his feat of strength; Knottingley threw everything into the closing phases on the game and Ripon help out for a well fought victory. One side better than the other? Ripon were stronger overall than in the October encounter and Knottingley were clearly different. Ripon will enjoy the advantage of the five point victory and no doubt Knottingley will be grateful for the two point loss. We look forward to meeting them again next year in Yorkshire Two.

Next Saturday Ripon entertain the Division’s bottom side, Leeds Medics & Dentists for the third and final instalment of the “Can we escape relegation?” Trilogy. Hopefully the attraction of a hard fought game in front of a substantial (Six Nations permitting) home crowd and the promise of fresh, home cooked and nutritious food, as well as well-kept beer, may persuade our visitors to “Stay awhile amidst Ripon’s ancient charms”. Maybe even to the extent that they might have a whip-round and get a bus? Either way, we look forward to welcoming our visitors with open arms and enjoying a battle on the field and friendship in the bar. A big point to note that this Saturday sees the game sponsored by Club Chairman and “1st Lady”, Adam and Nova Briggs company “Northern Cell”. It would be marvellous to have a good crowd and enjoy some traditional Yorkshire hospitality. The game kicks off at 2.15, bring a friend, and if you don’t have any, bring your entire family!!