Penalty try earns YMCA late success

HUDDERSFIELD YMCA completed a North I East ‘double’ over Dinnington winning 20-17 at Laund Hill.

From the start YMCA looked to run the ball and pressure led to Dinnington being penalised for offside and Gavin Stead put the home side ahead.

He could have added two further scores within minutes as the visitors were penalised for offside and failing to release the man, however both Stead’s efforts were wide.

The relief was short lived as the home forwards set the platform for scrum half Joah Bradley to send No8 Josh Lumb to force his way over, but Stead’s conversion fell short and YMCA led 8-0 at half-time.

Things went awry for YMCA at the start of the second half as a fumble by prop Stu Dyke gave the visitors a scrum and Dinnington scrum half Francis darted in for a try but stand off Johnny West was wide with the conversion.

Dinnington looked more threatening and YMCA’s Hill was adjudged to have deliberately knocked down and shown a yellow card, and the visitors took the lead when back row forward Ryan Donnelly finished off a move with a try in the corner, but West’s kick was off target.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure and winger Matthew Shaw was on hand to take advantage of the disjointed YMCA defence to score and West added the goal to put Dinnington nine points ahead.

YMCA need a positive reaction and a nice chip and run over the defence by Mick Piper found Ben Emsley ready to claim a try out wide on the wing, but Stead was off target with the conversion.

The home side upped their momentum and a try looked a certainty until Dinnington’s centre Doughty came up with an illegal high tackle.

He was immediately punished for his indiscretion as the referee adjudged he had stopped YMCA from scoring a certain try and the result was a yellow card for Doughty and the award of a penalty try for the home side.

With the kick now under the posts life was made much easier for Gavin Stead to add the extra points and with literally no ordinary time left on the clock the YM had snatched the lead 20-17.

Dinnington came back for one last stoppage time push and only do or die defending from YMCA kept them out. YMCA’s Tunisian international hopeful Seif Boussaada comes out second best at the lineout against Dinnington, but he helped his team to a battling victory IN a game littered with yellow cards, Old Rishworthians gave a gritty performance for another Yorkshire II bonus point win as they beat Ripon 41-14 on the road.

There were eight yellow cards – four for each side – and one Ripon player saw red for getting his second.

The home side ended with 13 players and Rishworthians at one point were down to 12 after the referee gave them three yellow cards within five minutes.

The visitors came close several times early on until fullback Jacob Ford broke through for flanker Nick Faulkner to score – fly half Josh Kelly converted.

Despite being down to 14 when without Faulkner was despatched to the bin, Rishworthians scored again when scrum half Ed Cockroft pounced on a loose throw and score and Kelly converted.

Rishworthians began to dominate and Ripon saw yellow twice allowing Kelly to add two penalties.

The Copley side opened the second half with left wing Anthony Shoesmith scoring in the corner and Kelly converted.

Suddenly they were down to 14 men, then 13 and finally 12 as a converted penalty try was awarded.

They held on and, as players returned, renewed the pressure. Centre Taniela Bakoso broke through to put fellow centre Sam Nunn in for the bonus point try, converted by Kelly.

The light became gloomier and gloomier, so did Ripon as they saw yellow twice, one turning to red.

The visitors took advantage with a final try, replacement Joe Billing scoring in the corner – Kelly converted.