Scarborough 25 North Ribblesdale 30

Ribb recorded their first win at Scarborough’s impressive new ground in a match full of open rugby that was enjoyed by a large crowd.

Fortunes fluctuated throughout the game and the result was in doubt until Will Davidson – Ribb’s outstanding back – raced in for a try in the last ten minutes to put his side two scores clear.

Losing the toss, Ribb kicked off into a slight breeze which got stronger as the game went on. After a brief flurry from Scarborough it was Ribb who started to press after a turnover from the industrious Nathan Dakin.

The Ribb pack carried the ball into contact well and retained it which meant that scrum half Hayden Viles had more room than he had enjoyed in the previous game at Dinnington.

The home defence proved hard to breakdown and the closest Ribb came to scoring was from a precise kick into the corner for Rob Hayes who was unlucky not to score.

Scarborough used the wind to put the ball in the corner and set up a rolling maul. Ribb are not good at defending the rolling maul and so it proved again as captain Phil Watson scored a try out wide for Scarborough.

The visitors came back with spirited runs from Ryan Kirkbride and Russell Ingham which put Ribb into the home half. Scarborough’s discipline let them down and Robbie Davidson kicked a penalty for offside after 20 minutes.

Ribb threatened again from the kick off. They were winning good ball but some of the second phase was spoilt by the forwards cluttering up the back line and crashing the ball back in.

A second Robbie Davidson penalty five minutes later gave the visitors a slender lead. Back came Scarborough and a knock on from the kick off gave them possession which led to the next score, a penalty for offside by Tom Harrison.

Robbie Davidson finished the half by kicking a penalty to give Ribb a one-point lead.

One feature of the first half was the tendency of Scarborough to concede penalties under pressure.

The spectators’ attention had hardly turned to the game when Scarborough scored a converted try., An aggressive jump saw Chris Purdy pluck the ball out of the air and weak Ribb tackling enabled him to score in the corner.

This proved to be a wake-up call for Ribb. They started to win some clean ball and the back line made good ground into the home half.

Ribb forced a scrum on the 15-metre line where great scrummaging resulted in a penalty try which was converted by Robbie Davidson.

Long kicking from Ribb pushed Scarborough back. The pressure brought its rewards with a try for Jonathan Richards from a sublime Will Davidson break.

Scarborough were not finished though. An injudicious pass and an offside gave them a penalty for Harrison to put them within one score of a draw They drove forward from the restart and Ribb were under sustained pressure for the first time in the match.

They weathered this and drove Scarborough back to their own half. The game seemed over when Will Davidson intercepted for a converted try which made the score 30-20.

Scarborough would not lie down. They forced a penalty converted by Harrison to get within a converted try of a draw .

A hectic last five minutes saw Ribb hold out despite having Adam Subbs sin binned.

It was a well-deserved win and one which again demonstrated the impressive power they have in their back division.

Problems remain in the pack where weak tackling and sluggish play need to be eradicated as Ribb look to climb the table.