After 3 weeks of not playing rugby due to the weather, it was with great relief that this game went ahead against Huddersfield YMCA on a boggy pitch. With 4 regular 2nd team players dropping out late this week, the game could of been a bit of a hiding from the big Huddersfield side. However, due to the huge numbers of players available this week the 2s still managed to have 5 subs although Simon Williamson was needed from the 3s due to lack in number of forwards! In came Tom Newby, Joe Rowntree and Bentley Briggs back from University and also a welcome return to the 2s of Scott Mcara. There was also a debut for George Gill.

The game was started by Patrick Whitaker who could only kick the ball 5m. This was probably the omen that he didn't have his kicking boots on today. So Huddersfield elected to have a scrum on the halfway. In hindsight they probably wished that they could receive the kickoff again as the the Ripon pack pushed them backwards. This was going to be a common theme for the rest of the game with the scrums.

Within 5 minutes, Ripon secured clean ball at the ruck which allowed the backs to pass it quickly through the hands and score in the corner. 2 more trys were also scored in similar fashion with 1 being converted and a penalty also kicked. Ripon didn't help themselves with being constantly caught offside and also giving away silly penalties at the breakdown. This allowed Huddersfield to score a well deserved try and also kick a penalty.

Just before half time, for the umpteenth time Ripon again gave a way a needless penalty at the breakdown. The referee had now lost patience and sent Simon Williamson for a 10 minute rest.

Half time score - 20 - 8

At half time, senior players made some valued comments emploring the home side to just ICE at the breakdown and not compete for too long. Also Andrew Williamson stated that the next person to be caught offside would be wearing the donkey after the game (Guess what? No offsides in the 2nd half!).

Ripon came out of the blocks firing and scored another try within minutes under the posts which was converted. With the score now 27 - 8, the home side obviously thought the game was won as they started to give Huddersfield a way back into the game by again giving needless penalties away. With the away side struggling at the set piece they now decided that the best thing to do was to take quick tap penalties and use their big pack to gain ground. Why they didn't do this from the beginning is a mystery! They worked their way up the field and scored another try. 27 - 12.

Then after 45 minutes Simon Williamson went for a typical intercept. Anyone that knows Simon will know that he always does this with 1 hand and usually manages to gain control of the ball. However on this occasion he didn't and was penalised for a deliberate knock down. What came next was a bit of a shock! The referee had already yellow carded a Huddersfield player for a similar offence, so he had no option but to give Simon another yellow card and therefore a RED!

With 14 men Ripon were now trying to hang on! Huddersfield now scored another try and also kicked another penalty. 27 - 20.

With 20 minutes to go the game looked to be slipping away from the home side. However the pack was still stealing lots of ball at the set piece which allowed the backs to make good ground. The away side were then penalised near the half way line. Patrick Whitaker ensured the penalty was kicked to touch near the 22 which was then followed by a good line out take from Andrew Williamson. The pack then pushed the away side all the way back over their try line with a try scored just to the left of the posts. 32 - 20.

With confidence now restored good interlinking played by forwards and backs allowed the home side to score another couple of trys and secure the win. 42 - 20.

Huddersfield finished the game by scoring the last try, thus making the final score 42 - 25.

With 62 players available to play this week for the club, this showed that the 2nd team is providing strong competition for the 1st team. Players are now having to play well and also not miss any games just to stay in this team! Selection after the new year is going to be a massive headache for good reasons this time!

MOM - Ben Pilling for the best tackle of the game, taking their no 2 down when he was the last man!

Scorers

Elliot Fearn - 2 trys
Craig Sykes - 1 try
Ben Pilling - 1 try
Tom Beaumont - 1 try
Craig Wolloms - 1 try
Bentley Briggs - 1 try
Patrick Whitaker - 2 conversions and 1 penalty