Wath 47 Ripon 12

Well the weather is beautiful for rugby and a few regular faces are back at Moor Road. The day started terribly for me again for a second week in a row, a no return at golf this morning left me in foul mood but I got a cheeky 2 on the 12th! Any way onto the rugby club.

Cornetto still hungover from his holiday has asked me to do another match report so remember I can’t spell and my grammar is s***.

Adding to those return faces Tom Swift has finally recovered after his return season back last year and is back in the fold. Andy Hopkin is back in the starting line up and one can only think he’s been locked in the changing rooms these last 2 weeks and is back for the home tie after being MIA last week.

Kick off.

Well.... what a start! Wath straight away from the kick with great phases of play found themselves in the opposition 22. Powerful runs from the returning Hopkin see Wath on the Ripon try line and Sean Hopper scores with the pick. With no Whitlam this week Barrett adds the conversation 7-0 to the home side just minutes into the game. “What a start, has to be the Hopkin affect”

Restart Ant Hamilton BOSH, the Ripon hooker

Wath looking to bounce back from a few sub par performances these last few weeks find themselves again back in the opposition 5 looking to score after Pat running a #sweetline! Slap down from ripon see Wath take an easy 3 points and the score 10-0 with 15 minutes gone. “Yea, that’s it take the points! Keep it ticking”

The restart smartly claimed by Curtis Wath again made great yards through Selkirk. He was dumped on his head for his efforts and missed by the ref. The Wath forwards led by Hamilton make a great offloading play as Ethan Diamond League Dyson is under the posts (nice return for Ethan and a nice bit of redemption after the nasty injury that he got at Ripon a couple of years ago) Barrett adds the 2 and the lead is extended to 17-0 “lads must have read last weeks report and realised the faults”

Wath give away 2 penalties and Ripon have a chance for 3 points; pushed left. The game slowed down a little after Wath’s dominating start as both teams made some sloppy unforced errors 30 minutes in.

A bad clearance kick from Ripon and Wath are on the counter and catch the opposition offside leading to Barrett adding another 3 points. 20-0 “nudge baz”

Relentless Wath build great play again and Hopkin and Hopper both making impressive yards getting Wath into scoring position again. Ripon give away a penalty and Wath extend to 23-0 “nudge baz”

Wath bounce straight back after the restart and after an impressive high kick from Barrett and Hopkin finds himself in a race with his doppelgänger! He won the race! Quick recycling sees Hopper pick and go and we score again with a successful conversation 30-0 going into half time and a second for Hopper “5 games in and you turn it on Sean”

Fantastic first half from the lads, no Jonny Orange this week so Cornetto brought some Jaffa cakes that he found on the floor. It wouldn’t stop Hamilton, that lad can eat.

Kick off

The second half sees Tony back on the field after a couple of weeks off, also from everybody at Wath congratulations and all the best to him and his Mrs as he has popped the question.

Ripon clearly not happy with the first half come out quickly from the start of the second half and managed to get onto the Wath try line. A great turn over from someone in the pile of bodies and Wath clear.

A couple of forced penalties later and Wath are on the Ripon 22. Scrum opted for and a good pick move and West scores pretty much under the posts. Barrett deciding he’s played well enough already decides to let Pat have a shot at goal. Now imagine this, almost 2 seasons at Wath and Pat has not scored a point and you get a shot in front of the posts to get your first points. The Wath crowd goes silent, Pat walks back 3 steps and 2 to the left.... Pat pushes the kick right and misses! 35-0 “you plonker”

A quick chat about my knee injury with Evans (which I’m hoping to be back at Christmas you’ll be pleased to know) and Ripon are doing all sorts or wizardry as they chip over the rushing Wath line and a lucky bounce see’s Ripon under the posts 35-7 “smart kick, I’ll take that as our defence has been awesome”

Wath refusing to give up find themselves on the Ripon 10, for a second the wath crowd thought Rimmer was back but it was Jack Jewell and he produced an amazing strimming bounce pass which dribbled passed the first receiver and found Selkirk in the gap “COULD IT BE” Pat running seemingly in slow motion is getting closer to the line with nobody in front of him. The Wath pack all knowing he is going to score almost got past him as they are already celebrating! SELKIRK SCORES! Get in ther Pat! 18 months it’s taken but it’s worth it. Jack Jewell steps up to take the kick in front of the posts and shanks it right and misses and almost finds the touch line it’s that bad. 40-7 “get in there pat, what was that kick though?”

Some strange scrum refereeing sees Ripon win a penalty after a very strong scrum, something Wath had go against them only minutes earlier. Ripon build from a few minutes possession and score, conversion missed with 5 to play 40-12 “oh well, games done surely only a minute left”

With Linesy retuning to the technical area saying “the lads have just given each other a right rollocking” it seemed Wath were not going to settle!

Immediately from the restart Wath regained possession, cheeky little box kick from Selkirk and Wath have a line out on the 5 and then a scrum from the Ripon knock on. Strong scrum from Wath and some strong carries while Hopper finds himself arguing with his also ginger doppelgänger about who the best ginge is. While this is going off West scores again under the posts on the final play, Barrett decides to add the 2 this time.

Wath win 47-12

Reporter. Luke "Full English"Stead