Ribb live dangerously but emerge with valuable victory (From Craven Herald)

Ribb live dangerously but emerge with valuable victory

10:56am Thursday 17th November 2011 in North Ribblesdale

North Ribblesdale 34 Knottingley 27

North Ribblesdale jumped three places in the table and they could have climbed four, but for a tenacious display by Knottingley who earned a losing bonus point to stay one point ahead of the home side.

Both teams played some good rugby and Knottingley’s stand off Steven Rockett had a productive day with the boot kicking five penalties and a conversion. for a personal haul of 17 points.

The major downside for Ribb was the number of penalties they gave away which reached the high teens – far too many.

Ribb started brightly moving the ball across the backline from the kick off, but it was Rockett who after missing his first penalty, was on target with his second from 40 metres.

The lead didn’t last long. Ribb re -cycled the kick-off efficiently and the excellent Simon Bolland went round his man on the short side .

He swapped passes with Steven Moon before running in an unconverted try.

Ribb soon had Knottingley on the back foot again as Bolland made ground after possession had been recycled by Nathan Dakin and Jack Davidson.

Moon put skipper Dan Watson over for a try which Will Davidson easily converted.

A 12-3 lead after 15 minutes was a a satisfactory position but Knotting- ley’s accomplished back three started making ground as they returned Ribb’s speculative kicking.

Ribb’s propensity to concede penalties gave Rockett the chance to reduce the lead to six points.

Dominance came at the scrum as Knottingley tired.

The pressure led to a penalty which Will Davidson put close to the corner.

Jack Davidson secured good line-out ball and the home pack provided the platform for the experienced John Thwaite to burst off the maul and run 20 metres to score a try.

Ribb led 17-6 at the break but hopes that they would kick on didn’t materialise.

They attempted to play expansive rugby off slow ball and literally paid the penalty.

They made a catalogue of mistakes and presented Rockett with plenty of chances to detonate his kicking boots.

Rockett kept Ribb penned back with his long kicks and they led to a try and three penalties. The home side were also reduced to 14 men for ten minutes.

From dominating a game, Ribb were now in danger of gifting it to their tenacious rivals.

They rescued this game with the only real tactical kick they put in all day.

Will Davidson followed up his own high kick and caught the full back in possession.

Watson was on hand to race over as the ball went lose. Davidson’s conversion put Ribb 24-17 ahead.

Davidson kicked a penalty five minutes later to stretch the lead but Ribb were still under pressure from the boot of Rockett.

When Ribb forced a penalty under the posts they opted to go for the scrum. Three collapsed scrums later and the referee awarded a penalty try which Davidson converted.

Knottingley burst back again with a converted try by Milton and were back within seven points. Ribb finished the game hanging on.

Up to the end they refused to clear the ball out of their own half running the last scrum ball from under their own posts.