Ribb need two big wins

They have a difficult run-in, but are playing two of their closest rivals - Knottingley at home and Heath away so the matter is in their own hands.

Ribb's task may have been marginally easier if they had administered the points avalanche they threatened in the second half which would have improved their points difference.

Instead, in a second half with both the wind and slope, they chose to play a curious game which seemed designed to see how close they could play to their own line without giving away a score. The result was a loss of scoring position and a try to York.

Winning the toss and playing uphill and into the wind suited Ribb; they easily won set piece ball and their rolling maul tied up opponents for sustained periods.

This was interspersed with breaks and half breaks from Ned Walters and some judicious grub kicking from Ian Bartlett.

York could not get enough possession to trouble the Ribb defence and the Ribb back-line looked dangerous particularly when Bartlett opened the field with cut out passes which he can do off either hand this gives the ability to move the ball wide quickly.

Ribb scored their best try for several weeks. Simon Chapman steamed into the line and put Simon Spensley away on the right. Spensley would probably have scored but, threatened by the cover, he handed on to Bartlett who had looped round for a fine score in the corner Bartlett converted into the wind with some aplomb.

York restarted and used the wind to force play into the Ribb half and scored a penalty from Hobson for off side. Ribb were not resting on their laurels and a series of forward drives saw Kirkbride forced over for the first of his tries so Ribb led 12-3 at halftime with the slope and wind to come.

Ribb's second half was a mixture of the sublime and ridiculous: It all started so well with Chapman fielding a difficult high ball in his 22. He kicked high, chased and forced a defensive line-out on the home line, where Dean Stacey took a beautiful ball and Kirkbride drove the ball over for his second try. Bartlett made another difficult conversion look easy and took Ribb to 19-3 up with 30 minutes to go.

This should have been the catalyst for a display of cohesive purposeful rugby against a team who, although not demoralised, looked well beaten.

However Ribb took their eye off the ball and let York impose themselves on the game. Their number eight made several powerful runs and the Ribb cover, particularly the back row, looked sluggish. On two occasions it was left to Chapman to clear up the mess.

York RI spent the middle twenty minutes of the half between the Ribb ten metre and 22 line. Ribb had ample possession to kick on the following wind but eschewed this easy option in favour of the forwards seeking faces not spaces.

Ribb's worst moment was a penalty on their 22 which cried out to be hit into the middle distance. Instead a ponderous tap penalty lost possession; it was difficult to work out which of the participants in this endeavour was going to sprint 80 metres to score. The result was inevitable, Ribb gave away a penalty trying to steal ruck ball and the home scrum half Sisley scored from a tap penalty.

At last Ribb woke up and good field position forced a penalty by Bartlett.

Bartlett then saw space on the blind side and put Chapman away with three on one but was harshly pulled back for a forward pass. Bartlett again put Simpson into space, and he handed on to Ian Cowperthwaite, who made light of three defenders and burst to the line where he was held up, Ribb moved quickly right and Kirkbride was over for a third time.

From the kick off Cowperthwaite made another storming run and quick ruck ball put Spensley clear to round off the scoring.

A good emphatic win should have seen more points but the set piece was solid the mid-field functioned well and Simpson used Chapman's power and pace well.

Bartlett's ability to throw long passes off each hand opened up a stiff defence and Ribb looked dangerous in possession.

There was a tactical hiatus in the middle of the game but the team came through for a good win. They now have to life their game to earn that promotion spot.