Copley pitch under scrutiny ahead of leaders’ visit
Old Rishworthians have a scheduled home Yorkshire Two game against league leaders West Leeds and hope they can play at Copley for the first time since the Christmas floods.
It is still not certain, however, and there will be a late inspection to decide, but wherever they play they are aiming to continue the momentum which saw themrecord an excellent away win last week at Roundhegians.
They lost 34-17 at West Leeds in October and in the home fixture last season theylost 30-34 in a closely fought match.
They have been forced into two changes for the game. Lock Callum Heseltine is away and teenage back Sam Nunn is out through an injury suffered in the under-17s’ Yorkshire Cup loss at the weekend.
Their absence is offset by the return of Nick Faulkner to the pack and centre TanielaBakoso to the backs.
There will also be late fit- ness tests for flanker Gerard Rollings and prop Phil Kershaw.
Rishies notched their second league double of the season and a first win at Roundhegians for many years with a 19-11 success last Saturday.
They did it with some excellent intelligent rugby, coming from behind to score 19 unanswered points and dominate the second half.
Delighted player- coach Chris Stone said: “We did what we said we would, starving them of possession and playing in the right places.”
They started badly and two penalties left them six points behind. A long pass then caught them out and led to an unconverted try in the corner.
Suddenly the visitors started to win possession and stand- off Josh Kelly made a superb 40-yard break. Although No 8 James Clarke was stopped just short, winger Anthony Shoesmith crossed in the corner.
A good linking pass from Stone almost put Rollings through, but it brought a penalty and Kelly made it 11-8.
After the break it was all Rishworthians, with Kelly to the fore.
Clarke, Shoesmith, Rollings and Nunn combined in a fine break before Kelly’s cross kick almost put replacement winger Rhys Town in on the right. But play was brought back for a penalty and Kelly levelled the scores.
Soon after Kelly put Rishies ahead with a fine long range effort and from then on they never looked like conceding.
Even though they lost Rollings with a serious leg injury, their momentum never stopped.
A quick tap penalty by scrum half Gary Morris took them back into the home 22. Great work at the ruck by teenage flanker Harvey KeighleyPayne regained possession and Morris put a kick over for Shoesmith to run on to and touch down in the corner.