Huddersfield YMCA 2XV. 8 : 20 Wath Upon Dearne 2XV.

The 2nd XV. travelled to Huddersfield YMCA with several players remembering the last visit 3 seasons ago when they were well beaten. The game was played on the massive YMCA main pitch, in the warm up the home team were practicing their extensive backs moves. This looked like it would be a backs dominated game using the width. From the K.O. YMCA attacked and for the open minutes camped in Waths 22, however from a penalty for sealing off at a ruck Wath moved downfield. From a fairly unconvincing lineout the ball was retained and Andy Linton at centre drove into the defence, at the ensuing ruck YMCA infringed ‘handling on floor’. Sean Power had a kick but missed. From the dropout Wath again attacked, eventually forcing a penalty, Jim West ever alert took a quick tap and weaved through to the line from 25m out. The game continued with YMCA mainly trying to burst through the Wath defence in the centre, where Joe Thompson, Sean Power and Andy Linton were solid and there were several turnovers as the back row were quick over the ball. Chris Duffy being notable on only his second game in the team. The fly in the ointment was the non-functioning lineout, good clearances and penalty clearances were turning over ball. Wath pressure led to another penalty shot centre field about 35m out Sean slotted over. YMCA then had a very good spell with the swift backs moving the ball wide and the right winger cut back inside to go over for a try. Conversion missed. Play continued but it was becoming a forward tussle, not what the home team planned. When Wath did move the ball out the YMCA defence was unforgiving and few line breaks were made. However eventually pressure told and through some good driving around the fringes the ball popped to Rory Anderson on the blindside of a ruck and he raced 12m over, try.
Wath now seemed to lose all sense of the offside line and were penalised several times, one unarguable occasion when Rob Higgins was stood nearer the YMCA 10 than the back foot. From one of the penalties YM slotted over to make the score 8-13. Changes were made at half time and Max Reader came into the back row, Chris Duffy moving forward to replace Corey Coles who had warmed up for this game with 4 weeks on the lash in Lincoln Uni and the toll was telling on his knee?
The match was now equal with both sides defending well in the backs but Waths forwards just edging it. The scrum was stable most of the time and with Rob Higgins and Sam Levitt winning the front row tussle some good ball was made available. The lineout was the concern. Tom Batty replaced Calum Mcnally 20 minutes into second half saying he was a better thrower in. The first lineout after his move destroyed this fantasy, ‘it slipped’ was his excuse. Some on field brain asked Max to have a go at throwing, Eureka, he hit his man every time. A Functioning Lineout. The game was still very tight and both sets of supporters were nervous. With 10 minutes left Jordan Fleming who had travelled with a shoulder injury came on and from another good move with the backs and forwards linking, went over out wide with 5 minutes left. Sean Power got the hardest kick of the day to give some breathing space. YMCA now tried to smash their way through the middle. It hadn’t worked all game and didn’t work now. Wath knew they had been in a game. Played in an excellent spirit by both sides, good hospitality after the game, look forward to the return fixture later in season