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Photos: Zoe Bennell
UYRUFC 1sts started the year in excellent fashion as they overcame a plucky Edinburgh side to win by 33 points to 23. Tries from Hugo Watson, Will Sharp and Tristan Burd built a solid platform in the first half, before further scores from Rob Prior and Luke Cunnah sealed the victory on 22 Acres.
Fraser Kirkley’s side will be pleased to begin the year in excellent fashion as they continue to seek out the consistency to drag themselves out of relegation contention in their first year in the Premier Division. On today’s evidence, they may have turned the corner, and particularly with several injured players yet to return to action, there is real cause for optimism.
The White Rose got off to the ideal start, as outside-centre Watson strolled over the line following Will Sharp’s brilliant line-break. With Tom Chadwick injured, stand-in fly-half Will Peters added the extras to give the hosts a 7-0 lead within the first four minutes.
Edinburgh sought a quick response, and drove forward, led by the ferocity of their Number 8, who was sporting one of the more bizarre haircuts to have graced 22 Acres this season. The visitors were producing some fine rugby, earning themselves a quick-fire penalty to reduce the arrears. Another penalty following a York infringement at a ruck put Edinburgh within touching distance at 7-6.
Kirkley knew he had to steady the ship, and the territorial advantage firmly shifted in the Black & Gold’s favour as the York forwards poured into the opposition half. Sharp was seeing plenty of action on the wing both in attack and defence, yet both sides were locked in a stalemate for much of the half.
A form of kicking pinball ensued with both stand-offs seeking to unlock the space for their wingers to exploit, but still there was to be no breakthrough. The hosts almost fell behind when the Edinburgh fly-half intercepted a loose ball to streak towards the corner, only for Conan Osborne, who represented Jamaica in November, to thwart him with an outstanding last-gasp tackle.
Tensions were rising as the scoreline remained untroubled, until a great hustle at a scrum by Matt Thorp. The flanker came away with the ball and surged forward as York swiftly passed it along their back-line. Osborne created the space for Sharp to go through, and the wing fended off some feeble tackles to finish in the corner with aplomb.
Suddenly the game opened up, and once again it was Osborne who was involved as his reverse offload sent prop Tristan Burd through to score an unlikely breakaway try under the posts to increase the lead to 19-6 as Edinburgh’s previously rigid organisation skills collapsed.
The visitors knew that they needed to score next in order to give themselves a chance in the second half, but the ball went loose as they approached the York 5-metre line, allowing Peters to clear. Their frustrations were epitomised by an outrageous spear tackle on home scrum-half Mark Robson, but the offending Edinburgh prop inexplicably escaped punishment as half-time beckoned.
After the interval, the White Rose allowed their opponents to grow back into the game as Edinburgh began to see the lion’s share of possession. They found the points that their dominance merited as the left wing went over for an unconverted try in the corner to make the scores 19-11. Sensing blood, the travelling side almost dragged themselves back into the match as Osborne made another superb track-back tackle which allowed York to clear their lines.
Any score for the hosts would put them well on the path to securing victory, and their prayers were answered when an audacious chip from Hugo Watson somehow eluded the Edinburgh back-line, allowing full-back Rob Prior to pounce on the ball for a try. Peters couldn’t miss from under the posts to make it a comfortable 26-11 as York secured a valuable bonus point.
It was not all good news for York though, as hooker Fraser Kirkley, fresh from his college rowing heroics on Sunday, went down with a nasty-looking injury. It was a huge blow for the captain, who had only recently recovered from a long-standing knee injury.
Nevertheless, the White Rose did not let it dampen their spirits as replacement scrum-half Luke Cunnah crossed the line to lift the atmosphere – the scoreline stood at a commanding 33-11 with just over ten minutes remaining.
However, much to their credit, it was Edinburgh who dominated the closing stages as York began to tire. The sheer pace of their left-winger ensured that his hat-trick ensued, as the pressure mounted on York to prevent an improbable comeback. Luckily for them, Edinburgh’s late flurry was too little too late. Eventually, the final whistle came to leave York celebrating a brilliant 33-23 victory.