Match Report Saturday 5th March 2016 - Ripon 2xv - Ripon Rugby Union Football Club

This week Ripon 2xv played a friendly away against Pontefract 2xv. With their opponents lying 2nd in the equivalent merit league this was going to be a tough task. It was made even tougher with players dropping out late in the week due to illness and 1 player not even turning up on the day.

So Ripon travelled with 14 men, luckily Ben Pilling played with an injury and a call up from the Colts for Jake Botting was made. Ripon received the kick off and spent the next 10 minutes in their opponents half. From a 5m scrum the forwards drove their counterparts back over their own line. Matthew Clough (at the age of 65!) managed to dot the ball down for the 1st try of the game. Patrick Whitaker converted the try to take his overall score for the season to over 100 points! 7-0

Again Ripon forced the play back into Pontefract's half, a nice back line move was then followed by a kick over the top of the defence by Jack Baker allowing Tom Beaumont to get to the ball for a try. 12-0.

For the remainder of the half, Ripon thought they were too good for this side. How wrong they were! With needless knock ons and silly errors, Pontefract managed to put some good moves together which resulted in a try near the posts. This was converted and the half time whistle was blown.

HT 12-7

In the second half Ripon kicked off. Like the 1st 20 minutes of the game, they made progress into the Pontefract half. A penalty was rewarded in front of the posts which was duly kicked by Patrick Whitaker. 15-7. Then after a loose pass the lively Pontefract 10 scooped the ball and went under the posts. Once again this was converted. 15-14.

Ripon went back on the attack with purpose. A strong run by Andrew Williamson followed by a slick backs move pushed the ball towards the try line. A knock on over the line was then touched down by the home side for a defensive 5m scrum. From the resulting scrum Mark Sadler who had been playing 'How Low Can You Go' with his opposite number shoved the home side off their own ball, allowing Matthew Clough to touch the ball down for his second try. 20-14.

Pontefract then used the ball with their quick backs (Although Andrew Williamson managed to tackle the winger twice!) and score a try in the corner as well as convert a penalty in front of the posts. 20-22.

With time running out Patrick Whitaker went on a jinky run but was high tackled in front of the posts. After the referee had calmed everything down he then forgot where the mark was and pushed the penalty back 10m. With time up, Patrick Whitaker held his nerve to kick the winning penalty.

FT 23-22

MOM - Jake Botting - For the numerous turnovers and yards made

DOD - Billy Burgin for trying to kick the ball in touch because he was scared of the 3 players running at him.