Skipton 21 Moortown 35

This is a game best forgotten for the home side.

A decision to video the match to aid players and coach alike seemed to backfire dramatically.

The all-seeing eye of the camcorder seemed to generate stage fright throughout the whole team and, as good as the last few team performances have been, this one was abysmal.

Moortown dominated possession, but with little idea of what to do with such an abundance of ball.

This was gifted to them in large part by Skipton’s inability to secure much of their own ruck ball, and their misplaced belief that any attack they launched would succeed by forcing miracle passes that even an under-15s side would baulk at. Rugby is a simple game, without the ball you cannot win.

The visitors took the lead with an early penalty and racked up three tries, two of which were converted, and added a further penalty before half-time, to take a 25-0 lead over the woeful home side. In the second half the visitors seemed to be cruising, with their vociferous coach barking instruct- ions Less welcome were his remarks deriding the home side which were out of place in a rugby match.

This unwanted and uncalled for verbal abuse spurred the Reds into life and they responded with several stirring attacks resulting in three converted tries, most notable of which was winger James Ackers Johnson’s.

His committed run carried him and his would-be tackler in under the posts.

Moortown responded with two tries after Skipton’s attack broke down first with a turnover at a ruck, and then in open play when yet another forced pass went astray, taking the final score to 35-21 in favour of the visitors.

The X-rated DVD should make difficult viewing for all concerned, with many issues to address. It shows the necessary steep learning curve that all will have to travel in order to compete at this level.