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Photos: Philip Mourdjis
The University of Manchester 1sts edged a tight encounter with UYRUFC’s 1st XV on 22 acres, as the hosts once again fell agonisingly short. Injured captain Fraser Kirkley could only watch from the sidelines as his side were left to wonder what might have been after a close contest in dreadful conditions.
Following last week’s defeat, York were desperate to pick up their first victory since winning promotion to the BUCS Premier Divison B. Their stomach for the fight against an in-form Manchester 1sts side was evident from the off, as fly-half Tom Chadwick’s audacious drop-goal attempt, falling just short, signalled York’s intent.
And it was indeed York who made the early breakthrough when Tristan Burd went over after charging down a poor Manchester clearance. Chadwick was unable to add the extras however, and the hosts found themselves behind within minutes of the restart. A quick break saw Manchester go over in the corner, seizing both the lead and the initiative in the game.
Superior scrummaging from Manchester put York under constant pressure, and a penalty under the posts quickly made the score 5-10. York were temporarily left a man down after stand-in captain Adam Gaskell was shown a yellow card. Another successful scrum deep in York territory led to a try, giving Manchester a healthy ten-point lead.
A response from the White Rose was needed, and Chadwick’s penalty after good work from the York pack ensured they went into half-time within a converted try of their opponents.
As the rain fell, York started the second-half all guns blazing, setting up camp in the Manchester half, but a combination of resilient Mancunian defence and bad luck for York ensured the hosts remained behind.
It took a surging run from Matt Thorp to finally provide the breakthrough for York, with Chadwick brilliantly converting Thorp’s try to level the scores.
York’s endeavours inevitably prompted a response from Manchester. After being under the cosh for so long, the visitors sought to provide a stern test for York’s defence. Full-back Alex Cormack was in fine form, summed up by an heroic last-ditch tackle on a rampaging Manchester runner.
As the conditions worsened, York’s brave resistance finally gave way, with another penalty restoring Manchester’s advantage to 15-18. In the closing stages, York threw everything at their opponents, but handling errors, no doubt down to the relentless rain, were to be their downfall.
As the final whistle sounded, the home team were left frustrated after defeat in a game in which they dominated for long periods. Nevertheless, this new-look side can take much encouragement from a strong performance against high-flying opposition.
After the game, scrum-half Mark Robson reflected on a testing afternoon: “York like to play expansive and exciting rugby, and sadly the conditions turned the game into more of a dogfight which probably suited Manchester.
“It’s very frustrating to come so close to a win again but it shows that we’re more than capable of playing in this division and challenging the top teams.
“We can take real positives from the defence and the physicality we showed. Although a loss is very disappointing, we’re moving in the right direction and are definitely here to stay in this league.”