REF INJURY FORCES EARLY CONCLUSION
Scarboro’ must make trip again
Scarborough will have to go again against Pontefract in Yorkshire One after their fixture was abandoned at the weekend.
Referee George Richardson was unable to continue due to injury in the 34th minute of the game, leading the fixture in West Yorkshire to be brought to an early conclusion.
With no level seven official being available to stand in for Richardson, it was decided to abandon the clash.
Scarborough were leading 10-7 at the time, and had they played the required 60 minutes of the 80 then they would have been awarded the points.
But instead it will now have to be replayed, and though a date has yet to be confirmed, it is likely to go ahead on April 25.
With the National Intermediate Cup semi-final in a week’s time this was the Seasiders’ last chance to hone their match fitness.
However they got off to the worst possible start when Pontefract centre Robert Jepson latched on to a loose pass and galloped away to score between the uprights.
Full-back Liam Kaye added the conversion and the league’s bottom club were 7-0 ahead with barely a minute on the clock.
With Tom Harrison and Tomasz Chadwick missing from the visitors’ line-up, skipper Tom Ratcliffe assumed the kicking duties and having spurned a couple kickable penalties to go for the corners, the big centre thumped over a long-distance effort in the seventh minute to reduce the arrears to four points at 7-3.
The visitors benefited from the return of pack-leader Nick Ingham in the second row and Taylor Smith, who took on the mantle of destroyer-in-chief from the injured Eamon Chapman in the loose forwards.
Pontefract conceded a string off penalties as the Scarborough forwards piled on the pressure and it was no surprise when scrum-half Martin Robinson powered over from close range in the 13th minute. Ratcliffe added the extras for 10-7.
Mr Richardson sustained an injury in the 21st minute but continued after treatment and strapping to his ankle. Minutes later a crunching Mikey Readman tackle earned a turnover and the big lock forward set up a slick move which only ended when the Seasiders were pulled back for a forward pass with the line begging.
Referee Richardson decided he was unable to continue and the game was abandoned in the 34th minute following consultation with both coaches.
Apart from the early interception try, Scarborough looked the sharper of the sides with Ingham, Smith, Robinson and skipper Tom Ratcliffe the pick of the bunch.