North Ribblesdale RU
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Stubborn defence helps North Ribb to a fine win
Knottingley 13 North Ribblesdale 22
After weathering a 20 minute opening spell of pressure from Knottingley, Ribb produced the best move of the game to take the ball from their own line to deep into the home half.
From there Jonathan Richards bounced off three tackles to free Tom Davidson who was tackled short, Ryan Kirkbride picked up to go over and Davidson converted.
Previously Knottingley had dominated by keeping Ribb in their own half but a defiant defence denied them a try.
They did kick a penalty for offside but almost immediately Ribb drove possession wide and Ian Bartlett made ground on the right.
Knottingley scrambled clear then went offside for Davidson to kick a fine penalty from 40 yards.
Knottingley powered forward and battered away at Ribb's midfield which held firm. In the past Knottingley have exhibited precise efficient back play but Davidson, Ben Topham and Richards were rock solid.
Scrum-half David Fox was the catalyst that changed the game. He secured a scrappy piece of scrum ball, saw a gap and sped upfield from his own 22 before handing on to Michael Carr who was only halted by a fine tackle.
Ribb saw the possibilities open to them and although they were forced back into their own half they started to play with some belief.
Davidson sent Richards away on the left and when the ball reached Bartlett via Topham, Ribb were deep into home territory.
A scrum on the ten metre line gave Richards the ball for the opening try by Kirkbride.
Knottingley tried to force the game as initiative passed to Ribb and Bartlett pounced on a loose blind side pass to race 50 metres for an unconverted try which gave Ribb a 15-3 half-time lead.
Restarting Ribb were dominant in the scrum and got their own ball in the line-out but Knottingley were very good on their own line-out ball. Ribb held the territorial upper hand for the first 20 minutes of the second-half.
Knottingley repeatedly gave away penalties and had their No 8 sin-binned. They drove two scrums close and on a third inexplicably let the ball out with Knottingley giving ground.
Further pressure saw a three on one overlap squandered and Knottingley regained possession and the chance was lost.
However, the alert Bartlett charged down a touch kick and grounded for his second try. At 22-3 up with 20 minutes to go Ribb were home and dry. Not so!
A mixture of complacency and naiveté allowed Knottingley to bring their two advantages into play.
They have a robust and efficient rolling maul and a very good line-out. However good a rolling maul is it is a short range weapon.
Had Ribb chosen to play in the home half they could have done but a mixture of poor aimless kicking and an admirable but misconceived belief in attacking with every ball allowed Knottingley to put Ribb into their own 22.
From there they secured line-out ball and their powerful rolling maul secured two tries which meant an anxious last five minutes for Ribb.
Half the Ribb pack appeared to resist the maul and the other half watched it while assuming the attitude of watchful defence which coincidentally is far easier.
Why they think Davidson, Richards and Topham need their help defeats all logic. The time to stop the maul is before it gets any momentum. After that its usually too late.
So it proved, the watchful defenders who are some of the biggest forwards need to get in there and stifle the maul at birth. Ribb's midfield need no help in defence.
The Ribb kicking was also aimless. Davidson put one beautiful high ball up which caused panic and Ribb were unlucky to be penalised for a knock on.
Too much possession was squandered with aimless punts which were returned with interest. The ball has to be put behind them or put high enough to get men under it.
However this was a fine win against a side who have recruited recently. Built on a base of obdurate defence and counter-attacking this victory at a difficult venue was a very praiseworthy effort and Ribb having now consolidated their league position can look forward to more success.
2:10pm Thursday 14th February 2008
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