Yorkshire Division Three: Skipton 18 Baildon 10

AFTER a derby where both sides should have scored more points, Baildon have set themselves a 2017-18 target that will test them.

Victories by Stocksbridge and Knottingley yesterday, and a third defeat in four matches for the Jenny Laners, has left Baildon bottom of the Yorkshire Division Three table.

However, their full back Richard Powell said after this setback at Sandylands: "We would like to finish in mid-table."

Having trailed 18-5 at half-time, Baildon at least had the satisfaction of keeping Skipton out after the interval.

They could even have snatched a victory had replacement Alex Teasdale caught the ball and fallen over the line or if both of their earlier tries had been converted - one by Matt Withers and one by Tom Cluett.

But that would have been harsh in the extreme on Matthew Langstaff's side as they had two tries rightly chalked off in the first half by referee Scott Houghton (South Yorkshire Society) – one for a marginal forward pass by Langstaff when winger Jack Mcleod went over on the right, and another when they were held up over the Baildon line.

Left winger Jamie Barker was also forced into touch on the opposite flank.

Powell added: "The second half was a lot better as they didn't score a point, but we have lost some quality players over the summer in James Fox (to Keighley), JJ O'Connell (gone to Australia) and Tom Peel."

Skipton's No 8 Harry McEneaney said: "We should definitely have got a bonus point, but we thought it was too easy and didn't take our chances in the first half.

"We weren't clinical and we dropped off but they stuck at it well, although they didn't deserve a losing bonus point."

McEneaney added: "Our aim is to get out of this league, but we need more players to get to training."

Baildon had the first opportunity with a penalty that they kicked to touch in the fifth minute, only for them to lose the subsequent line-out, and Skipton struck four minutes later.

Quick recycled ball allowed flanker Luke Daniels to score, Langstaff converting, and he added a penalty in the 13th minute after an emphatic 25-metre drive by the home pack won them back-to-back penalties after an advantage had been played.

Baildon fly half Matt Withers and Skipton lock Rick Willsher, in the company of both captains, were spoken to by referee Houghton after a spat in the 18th minute, and the visitors then couldn't fashion a chance two minutes later after good work by Withers.

Then came Skipton's spell of dominance that failed to bring them any reward, Withers helping them before the pushover that was held up by knocking on in his in-goal area.

Macleod did go over legitimately on the half-hour after good interplay by Langstaff and McEneaney, but Skipton didn't have the half-time advantage that their play deserved as Baildon No 8 Dan Cookson scored a 35th-minute try following a tap penalty near the home line, although Langstaff replied with a penalty in stoppage time.

Teasdale's handling error on the Skipton line came four minutes into the second half, and an eminently forgettable 20 minutes of scrappy play was ended by Baildon having centre Luke Strauss sin-binned for a high tackle in the 67th minute.

At least their defence was in good order, and they gave themselves hope of at least a losing bonus point with a try by prop Adam Hewitt four minutes later.

However, only Skipton threatened after that, with Langstaff being short with a long-range penalty in the 76th minute of a match that had too many errors.