Unwise taunt lays the platform for battling Ribb

2:40pm Thursday 15th November 2007

North Ribblesdale 21 Wheatley Hills 16

It is a brave man who taunts John Thwaite about a lack of scrummaging ability.

The Wheatley Hills hooker visibly blanched after his loose head informed the venerable prop from Crakemoor that he was nothing.

The result of this inopportune remark was to make the scrums so unbalanced that they were hardly a contest - the whole of the Hills eight being mobilised to protect their loose head.

Richard Maudsley, no slouch at scrummaging had very little to do and most scrums wheeled quickly under the supervision of a referee who chose not to apply the letter of the law.

When Ribb managed clean ball they opened the visitors' midfield at will, Jonathan Richards garnering twenty points from a try, two penalties and two conversions, Ben Topham made several breaks, notably putting in Ian Bartlett after one searing outside break.

But most scrums were severely disrupted.

A gradual climb up the table has come on the back of improved mobility, ability to win set piece ball and a stiff midfield defence, but they are prone to giving penalties away in their own half and upsetting the referee with advice.

The former gifted Wheatley Hills a six point start and the latter gave them a seven point finish as a disputed penalty was quickly taken with a converted try in the last minute.

Untidy play gave the visiting kicker two early penalties. Ribb then got to work with good line-out and quick passing taking play left. Further line-out ball and a kick into the corner gave an attacking line-out.

Unwanted advice to the referee, earned a brisk response and twice more the scrum went down.

A penalty try seemed certain, but the home scrum got no change from the referee and the ball squirted out allowing Wheatley to clear.

The respite was temporary and a driving run from Mick Carr forced play back into the 22. A quick pass from David Fox saw Richards go under the posts.

Ribb were now firmly on top and a lot of points seemed likely, however the scrums were repeatedly disrupted by a savage wheel from the visitors which seemed illegal but was accepted by the official.

On the back of this David Fox was given a hard tine by his equally youthful opposite number.

The visiting no8 had a massive influence quickly picking up the scrum ball and securing good possession.

Ribb were in front and Richards kicked two penalties as breaking down the defence was a problem.

At half-time Ribb were in a comfortable position and looked winners. Wheatley Hills regrouped and in the second half made hay with Ribb's scrum, using the wheel to slow down the ball.

This caused some hurried and inaccurate kicking which gave some sort of platform for the visiting nine and eight - the two best visiting players.

It took Ribb some time to come to terms with the situation, but Ryan Kirkbride broke the stalemate with a sharp pick up from a ball against the head.

Richards took a short pass and showing huge determination went over for his second try .

Almost from the kick off Topham rounded his man to put Ribb in a strong position. Wheatley Hills cleared with some difficulty, but two penalties took them into Ribb's 22.

Wheatley Hills' scrum half, trying to keep the ball after Ribb were given a penalty, had an altercation with Carr and gave him a sharp cuff round the ear.

Having repulsed one break by Topham, Wheatley Hills were soon under the cosh again.

Ribb engineered an overlap on the left, Topham smartly rounded his man to put Ian Bartlett in under the posts with Richards converting.

As a contest the match was over, but there's nothing dull about this side and having made a mess of the restart Ribb were driven back to their own 22. They gave away a penalty and disputed the decision. They were marched ten metres back by the referee and a smart move put the visitors over for a converted try.

Ribb are gradually solving problems, many of their own making. Their stuttering start to the season means promotion is only a possibility. They do however have the firepower to undo defences if they adopt a more measured approach.

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