SKIPTON A 10 WATH ON DEARNE 31

Skipton started well, applying pressure, camping in the Wath 22. This pressure was rewarded by a Sam Smith grubber kick through the defence, followed by real pace from Sam to win the race for the touchdown. In a warning of what was to come, Wath put together some first-class support play and strong running to take the lead with a converted try. Skipton went back up the field, Wath tried to clear, for the second week in a row, Gordon Fisher was all over the clearance kick, charging down and touching down all in the same movement.

This was as good as it got for Skipton. Wath took over, winning all line-out ball with two athletic jumpers, ruling the loose play with their experienced No.7, a real nemesis over the years, pinching ball all over the park. First up tackling was poor, Wath took advantage, scoring at regular intervals to be 26-10 up at half-time.

Skipton rallied in the second half, after twenty minutes Wath had only scored a well-worked try, by their left wing. We were then treated to the bizarre sight of Chairman of the club, Richard Mashiter, running onto the field, clipboard in hand, to purloin the referee. The referee of the first team game had pulled a hamstring, resulting in an early bath for all concerned on the second team field. The way Skipton were playing, this was a blessing.

Positives – Jim Wade had some storming runs from 8. The poacher, Gordon Fisher on the score-sheet again, the scrum was again solid on their own ball and stole plenty of the opposition. Otherwise a massive wake-up call for the application required at this level.

3 February

Team

15 Jon Dillon 14 Matt Rhodes 13 Jon Kulik

12 Steve Marks 11 John Hughes 10 Sam Smith

9 Mike Beech 8 Jim Wade 7 Callum Cameron

6 Gordon Fisher 5 Richard Hill 4 John Greystone

3 Stuart Harling 2 Dave Mitton 1 Paul Shearer

Subs

Andy Phillip Peter Dutton Jon Firth

Tries

Sam Smith Gordon Fisher