Rishworthians keep promotion hopes alive

OLD Rishworthians kept their Yorkshire Two promotion hopes on track with a seven-try 43-21 win at West Park Leeds – a place where they had previously never won.

Rishworthians dominated the early exchanges and a long pass put winger Anthony Shoesmith away to score the first try and Josh Kelly converted.

Opposite wing Ben Wainwright then got in at the other corner, but then the visitors relaxed and found themselves having to defend on their own line until a missed tackle allowed a converted try for the home side.

Rishworthians then camped in the home half, until centre Taniela Bakoso burst through to put in fellow centre Sam Nunn – Kelly converted.

Teenage flanker Jack Davis almost got over before No8 Gerard Rollings picked up a loose ball for the bonus point try.

Kelly converted to make it 26-7 at half-time.

Early in the second half Rishworthians ran the ball from a lineout and Shoesmith burst through the centre to score.

Kelly converted and then broke through before slipping the ball to Bakoso for the sixth try.

The home side fought back and a quickly taken lineout caught Rishworthians napping and the scrum half strolled over for a converted try.

The visitors came straight back with lock Callum Heseltine making some strong carries.

When Chris Stone charged down a clearance attempt at a lineout, man-of-the-match Heseltine was the first to react and touch down.

West Park fought back and a series of forward drives and finally got a converted try near the end.