Bradford Salem 52 North Ribblesdale 15

NORTH Ribblesdale saw a half-time lead disappear under an avalanche of seven second-half tries as they suffered a heavy Yorkshire One defeat which dropped them back to the foot of the table.

They also added two more players to their already lengthy injury list with full back Martins Bokis (head injury) and flanker James Wallbank (heavy impact) both forced to leave the field early.

Ribb desperately need their injury problems to ease, but at least the young players they are having to draft in are giving their all for the cause.

The early signs were encouraging with the Ribb pack more than holding their own, and the visitors took the lead when scrum half Peter Cook sliced open the defence to create an unconverted try for his half-back partner Mick Thwaite.

Salem responded with a try for full back Danny Belcher after a well-worked maul from a line-out, and Belcher kicked the first of his six conversions, many of which were from the touchline.

Ribb felt they should have had a penalty try when the ball was kicked out of the scrum illegally, but referee Glen Cockroft was unsighted and the offence went unpunished.

Mick Thwaite kicked a penalty on the stroke of half-time as Ribb edged 8-7 ahead.

The second half was a different game as Salem changed tactics.

They kept the ball away from Ribb's pack and ran at the midfield, as well as launching long kicks into the corners.

Salem also countered the rolling maul from the line-out by not competing and standing off.

Ribb's pack were dragged around the pitch but their man of the match Will Booth caught the eye with another prominent display.

The complexion of the game changed quickly as Salem scored three unanswered tries from No 8 Christian Baines, centre Harry Hall and Belcher, with the latter converting two.

Ribb were firmly on the back foot, but while their first-up tackling was good, the quick ball Salem were getting allowed them to make a lot of ground.

They stretched their lead with a try by winger Ryan Smith before Mick Thwaite made a break which was carried on by the tireless Booth before putting Richard Wood over for a try next to the posts which Thwaite converted.

Salem were stung by this and responded with tries by Baines (2), who thus completed his hat-trick and fly half Andy Robinson, two being converted by the deadly boot of Belcher.

Youngsters Sam Morphit and James Bilsborough played well on the wings, although they were given little ball, while the best back was Bokis.

He tackled with intent and ran hard, but unfortunately his game was cut short by a head injury.

The pick of the forwards were Richard Lynn, Wood and Booth, and if Ribb had used their pack more effectively in the second half they could have significantly reduced the points against – a factor that may be critical at the end of the season.