Injuries take their toll as Old Rish flag in finale of arctic battle
PONTEFRACT 20 OLD RISHWORTHIANS 8
OLD Rishworthians ran out of steam – and players – in the last 10 minutes of their Yorkshire Division One clash as injuries left them with just 13 men on the pitch.
They led 8–5 at half-time and defended brilliantly until, depleted, they eventually allowed Pontefract to score.
Both teams deserved admiration in what Rishworthians’ player-coach Chris Stone described as ‘the worst conditions I have ever played in’.
As player after player went off injured, it finally ended with uncontested scrums and Rishworthians’ resistance ran out.
Pontefract went ahead with an unconverted try after a missed tackle in midfield.
Rishworthians came back and Josh Kelly reduced the arrears with a penalty. His high kick then proved difficult to hold and young scrum half George Wright regathered to sprint over.
Kelly converted and to end the half he used the wind with a penalty from inside his own half, but it drifted wide.
The second half saw Rishworthians facing an ever strengthening gale and the onset of driving rain.
Pontefract levelled with an early penalty. Rishworthians saw hardly any possession, but time after time they kept the home side out.
Players started to go down injured and still they held out, but inevitably they cracked and conceded a try wide out.
The ball was dropped by both sides, but one by the visitors saw it regathered leading to a converted try to rob them of a deserved losing bonus point.