Ratcliffe inspires Scarboro’ to draw
Scarborough grabbed a dramatic last-gasp draw with a late Tom Ratcliffe try following a hugely entertaining Yorkshire One game at Silver Royd
The Seasiders once again started this game with a much changed and re-shuffled team from their previous game.
Anthony Coffey started at full-back, Matty Young and Ratcliffe played in the centres with Joe Lenton and Graeme Jeffrey on the wings.
Up front Wesley Langkilde started in the front row with Andy Ros sol, Drew Govier and James leach comprising the loose forwards.
Scarborough looked the more dynamic of the sides in the opening exchanges and it was no surprise when they took a 5-0 lead with a Tom Harrison penalty in the 11th minute. And they re-doubled their efforts from the re-start with scrum-half Jordan Wakeham and fly-half Tom Harrison on the front foot.
However a loose pass by Harrison was intercepted by back row Simanu Tu singa who raced over half the length of the field to score in the 16th minute.
Fly-half Philip Town converted for 7-3. Stunned by that score the Seasiders lost composure and visiting centre James Marshall swept aside a series of flimsy tackle attempts to romp over. Town converted for 14-3 in the 24th minute to stun the Scarborough faithful into silence.
Scarborough dominated the last 10 minutes of the half with a series of attacking lineout’s but had neither the skills or composure to cash in and a couple of Harrison penalties was their only reward and they trailed 14-9 at the break.
Old Brods made a lively start to the second half with Tu singa making several powerful breaks but good work by the youthful home backrow particularly Leech and Martin thwarted the Samoan’s best efforts.
And it was a slick move that sent Ratcliffe in at the corner wide left to level the scores at 14-14 in the 49th minute.
Back in the game, coach Lee Douglas’ men seemed to nod off and Tu singa ripped them apart with tries in the 52nd and 58th minutes aided and abetted by some woeful tackling. Fly-half Town converted the second for a 26-14 Brods lead
Waking from their slumber Scarborough reapplied themselves to their task and good work by Coffey and Langkilde pressured the visitors into an infringement and Harrison slammed over another