SKIPTON
have played some wonderful rugby this season but they deserve no praise for
this below par performance which saw them go out of the Yorkshire Trophy
competition.
The
Reds have devoted all their energies this season to gaining league promotion
which is why they exited the EDF National Cup competition in November to lower
ranked opponents and now they have also exited the Yorkshire Trophy competition
to opponents from a Division below whom they could and should have beaten.
However,
this strategy may well pay dividends because on Saturday Skipton’s two chasing
opponents in the league, Thornensians and Moortown, both lost their ‘catch up’
league games and so Skipton only have to win their remaining three games and
they will get their well earned promotion.
In
this Trophy game, no individual player let the side down but the reality was
that with some key players being rested and others playing out of position this
was a fragmented team who made errors in abundance and could not get their act
together. Despite all the errors, Skipton could still have won so easily but
when several easy penalty kicks were also missed it was destined to be a bad
afternoon. At the final whistle, a triumphant Castleford side were still humble
enough to admit they had been gifted the game.
In
the first half Skipton had 75 percent of ball possession but every move came to
nothing. Three simple penalty opportunities were also missed.
On
the other hand, Castleford had only 25 percent of the ball, had only one
penalty opportunity but at half time they were 3–0 in the lead!
The
second half opened with The Reds seeming to gel at last. Winger Richard Curtin, with a strong bursting
run, opened the scoring and Skipton were in the lead. The conversion attempt
missed. Then Darren Howson successfully slotted over a penalty kick and
suddenly Skipton were looking good at 8-3 in the lead. However, sloppy defence then allowed Cas to
score a converted try and so Skipton went behind again.
Next,
it was the Reds on the score sheet again when Sean Kennedy, always a player
with flair, saw a gap and ran in a solo try. Sadly, this conversion kick was
also missed. Nevertheless Skipton looked as though they would scrape a win.
Then,
with just five minutes to go, more sloppy defence allowed Cas to sneak in
another try and regain the lead and victory was theirs.
On
a disappointing day, the forwards were the best part of the team simply because
they made fewer errors and James Riches and Matty Wilson were always prominent.
In the backs, Hamish Munro was again
always threatening on the wing and Richard Dillon at full back impressed. Sean
Kennedy, playing at number 10 this week, tried to encourage flair all afternoon
but moves he instigated lacked successful back up from his colleagues and so
scoring opportunities were missed.
With
the distraction of Cup competitions out of the way, the Reds can now return to
league action. If they go back to basics and resume their well tried game plan
with the same strong squad that has played so successfully all season, they
will still end with their aim of promotion fulfilled.