Skipton 30 Aireborough 6

TWO break away tries by scrum-half Jack McLeod and one each from centre Ben Ross and prop Darren Greenwood secured a bonus point victory for Skipton on a cold afternoon at Sandylands.

The home side took time to settle into the game but slowly applied pressure on the visitors and the points came.

Skipton kicked off but the ball did not go 10 metres. From the scrum, Aireborough were soon on Skipton's 22 and an infringement at the break down in front of the posts gave them an easy chance to open the scoring.

An Aireborough penalty for a Skipton high tackle two minutes later gave the visitors' full-back the opportunity to stretch their lead to 6-0.

Aireborough seemed to have Skipton on the rack and they were then held up on the line. From the five metre scrum, they put their winger away but a last forward pass let Skipton off the hook.

A deliberate knock-on in the next phase of play allowed Kiwi signing Yvarne Carroll to put the ball into the corner. A great sustained period of pressure by the Skipton forwards, with Charlie Brown to the fore, gave Skipton the put-in.

Number Eight Mark Davison broke from the base of the scrum and fed skipper Hamish Munro, who put centre Ross clear for Skipton's opening try. The conversion attempt drifted wide.

A great restart return by Munro fed scrum-half McLeod from a loose ball and he was over for try number two. Carroll added the extra points.

Aireborough gained a penalty five metres out just before half-time. They opted for the scrum but lost the ball. Skipton gained possession and cleared, so the sides turned round at 12-6 in Skipton's favour.

An early break by Carroll and Brown was brought back for crossing but Skipton gained two successive penalties for Aireborough being offside and Carroll converted the latter to stretch the home side's lead.

Skipton pressure from the restart pinned Aireborough back into the corner. A great drive by Davison from the lineout put the ball through many phases of play and Carroll increased the hosts' lead further with the resultant penalty.

Mal Willsher came on in the Skipton pack and a break by Munro from the next set piece put winger James Ackers away.

He was unlucky to be brought down and bundled into touch just 10 metres out.

They soon got that next try though. A chip through by Carroll saw the ball pop up for Greenwood to go over for Skipton's third and the extra two points were converted with ease.

The visitors became restless, with two yellow cards ensuing. One for Skipton's second row Andy Wooler and another two minutes later for his Aireborough opposite number.

Skipton put the ball into the corner and a blindside break by McLeod from the line-out gave Skipton their fourth try, securing the valuable bonus league point. The conversion attempt drifted wide but Skipton had gained a well-earned 30-6 victory.