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Photos: Jack Western
York men’s 2nd XV produced their best performance of the season, beating Sheffield seconds 24-21 to pick up their first win of the academic year and progress to the next round of the BUCS Northern Conference Cup.
In a game which saw three men sin-binned, two of them York players, the home side reacted best both when they had a man advantage and when they found themselves a player down.
With the score 7-3 to Sheffield, York took advantage of their extra man in the latter stages of the first half, with the Sheffield inside-centre having been binned at the breakdown in the 26th minute, to ensure they went into half-time with a 10-7 lead.
And they reacted even stronger when Sam Wright was sent to the sideline in the opening minutes of the second half, as they scored seven unanswered points without reply in the 10 minute period, and set up a platform that proved just about strong enough to hold onto until the final whistle.
Sheffield took an early lead in the game. York were forced into conceding a 5 metre scrum following a poor pass from scrum-half Luke Cunnah, and after a phase of forward play, the Sheffield fly-half popped the ball off to his outside-centre in the tackle, and he burst through the defensive line to score under the posts.
The extras gave the away side a 7-0 lead, but York fly-half Ed Harris pulled it back to 7-3 with a 17th minute penalty.
The home side came under pressure again just two minutes later however, when a Harris kick was charged down and Sam Durno was forced to touch the ball down beyond his own try-line for a 22 drop out.
The tides turned five minutes later when the Sheffield inside-centre found himself in the bin.
A huge York scrummage 10 metres inside their own half wheeled inwards and Luke Cunnah sensed his opportunity. He took the ball blind and used his pace to beat two men before touching down in the corner.
Ed Harris added the extras with a superb kick from out wide in windy conditions, and York went into the break with a 10-7 lead.
Harris was replaced, perhaps harshly, by Will Peters at half-time, and it looked as if the home side would be forced to endure a difficult opening to the period when Sam Wright was shown a yellow card just three minutes in.
However, York dominated the 10 minute period, and by the 45th minute they had increased their advantage to 10 points.
Sheffield were on the attack until some strong rucking saw York turn the ball over. Once again Cunnah found joy on the blind side, spreading it to James Ramm who displayed blistering pace to beat several men, before handing off the full-back and thundering over under the posts to finish off a run that started deep inside his own half.
Peters converted to give his side a bit of breathing space at 17-7.
York continued their dominance after the score and could have widened the gap further when Will Peters narrowly missed a tricky long range penalty from wide left.
Sheffield picked up again once York had been restored back to their full quota of players, and they had their second try just before the hour mark.
A break down the blind side off the back of the scrum had given the away side good territory, before the forwards claimed the glory as a series off little pops inside the York 22 paid off and saw the men in black score under the posts, the fly-half adding the extras to make it 17-14.
York hit back in the best possible way. Peters kicked for the corner from a penalty to set his side up, and a few minutes later they were able to find the gap that brought their third try.
The backs went through the hands and Matt Darroch found himself as the man over and just the full-back to beat. He stepped him with ease and cruised over the line, with Paters’ kick restoring the 10 point advantage and making it 24-14.
With the home side just 12 minutes away from a huge victory, the result was thrown into doubt when Sam Durno became the third man to fall victim to the referee’s yellow card for allegedly throwing a punch.
It only took a minute for Sheffield to capitalise this time, as they spread the ball wide and gave their winger, who stood in acres of space, a simple run in over the line, and the conversion made the scores 24-21.
York never gave Sheffield another sniff of their try-line again however, and a penalty won in overtime, which Peters gladly kicked into the crowd, signalled a huge and much deserved first victory of the season for the UYRUFC 2nd XV.
“It was a tough day and we knew it was going to be tough opposition,” said York captain Rob Golding. “They were quality but we came out first half and put in a stunning performance. I’m absolutely delighted. With the forwards today it was a cracking effort from one minute to 80, the backs were executing plays.
“There were a couple of moments in the match where we dropped a bit and they got a couple of tries; a couple of stupid tries that we shouldn’t have really conceded, but generally I’m very impressed with the performance today especially after the tough start that we’ve had.”
York will look for their form to now continue in the league, as they look to climb off the bottom of the table with a win over Leeds 3rd XV next Wednesday.