Late try sinks North Ribb's hopes

York scored a late try in controversial circumstances to snatch victory.

Ribb had their opponents on the rack as they tried to grind out a pushover try when the ball was seized by the visiting scrum half to set up a breakaway score.

The referee’s view was that Ribb lost control of the ball but to the home spectators it appeared that the ball was illegally played in the scrum.

However it should not have mattered. The real cause of Ribb’s downfall was their woeful forward defence which resulted in three soft tries, one direct from a kick off.

Giving away 17 points is going to make it hard for any side to win.

Ribb had started well with the return of Russell Ingham in the forwards and Jonathan Richards at centre giving the side a more balanced look.

The first 20 minutes were played mainly in the York half. Although Ribb did not look particularly dangerous, they were playing well within themselves.

They looked the better side although they were having line-out and scrum difficulties.

The game burst into life when Ribb won good scrum ball on the visitors’ 22.

Sharp passing put the fleet-footed Robbie Davidson in possession and he had too much pace for the defence as he went over for a fine try which he converted himself.

This spurred York on and they came into the game with a bigger share of territory.

For the next 20 minutes the action was largely played out between the respective ten-metre lines.

Then a try out of nothing saw York hooker Freddie Portykus receive a scrappy ball on halfway.

He rumbled forward and could hadly believe his luck as attempted tackle after tackle fell away.

Once in the Ribb 22 he handed on to Marc Benson who scored what was to be the first soft try of the game.

Worse was to come. York had found Ribb’s weak spot – the forwards would rather not tackle.

From the kick off they rumbled up the pitch to force a line-out. Possession was secured and Benson touched down to make it 10-7.

Ribb continued their largesse after half-time. York rumbled the ball forward with some good interpassing, and James Hartley went in for a converted try From the restart the ball was caught unopposed as the home pack melted away to let Steve Kerr run from his own ten-metre line to Ribb’s try line where he passed to Ben Hepworth who dived over.

Ribb had taken a severe mauling at York earlier in the season and it looked like a repeat was on the cards.

Thankfully, a stiff talking to by Hayden Viles squared matters up.

Ribb started to win possession with the introduction of Adam Stubbs improving both scrum and line-out.

Mick Carr came on after several weeks injured and injected power into the back row.

Good loose ball put Davidson and David Fox away on the right. York were on the back foot.

When York infringed Ribb opted for a scrum instead of taking a kick.

As the Ribb forwards rumbled forward the referee awarded a penalty try for a second scrum offence.

When Davidson kicked a penalty after a stirring run by Rob Hayes was halted, the York lead was just five points.

Ribb were now in charge and were soon back in the York 22 forcing another scrum. The home side were going forward and York appeared to be collapsing.

The ball came out and was seized by the defence then hacked on for an 80-metre chase which saw Kay go over for a converted try.

It was a cruel blow as Ribb were on top and looking poised to score.

York had collapsed the scrum, but the referee’s view, and he was closer than any spectator, was that the ball had come out first.

Ribb came back again with the midfield pressurising York.

Carr grabbed a loose ball and burst over for a try which was converted by Davidson.

Although Ribb spent the last seven minutes pounding away there was no further scoring.

Credit has to go to the team for a fine fight back when it seemed that York were going to get a hatful.

The downside is the woeful forward tackling which put Ribb severely on the back foot.

Ribb have a fine back line with plenty of pace so it is ironic that York’s forwards scored all the long-range tries.

Ribb struggled to get the ball away from the rucks. Their two-pod system is inadequate to clear out all the bodies, so the ball is slow and that negates the pace of their backs.