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Photos: Oliver Todd
York ran away with a 33-15 victory over Hull 1st XV to progress to the next round of the cup after being made to battle for a large portion of the match.
The game’s opening was a tight and slightly cagey affair, with the sides, who sit in the same division of the BUCS league, feeling each other out and testing each others’ defences.
Hull enjoyed most of the early territory and despite some bursting breakaway runs from York full back Richard Bremner, it was they who were to score first.
The sheer distance that Hull’s kicker was able to get from his boot was a trouble to York all game, as whenever they conceded a penalty, he was able to kick his side deep into York territory. He produced an excellent kick from his own half to set up camp in the York 22, and the Hull forwards drove their way over the line to score in the corner, although it looked as if the scorer may have been tackled into touch. The conversion made it 7-0.
York came straight back at Hull from the restart, and after failing with one penalty attempt, Tom Chadwick made no mistake the second time, dissecting the posts to make it 7-3.
Not long later, York had the try to turn the game around. After coping well with a period of intense Hull pressure, Jordan Abbott broke away and York made good progress into Hull’s territory. Will Sharp burst several tackles to get his side up to the 5m line before stand-in captain Matt Pollen ran blind to score, making it 8-7 in York’s favour.
Hull’s winger kicked a penalty to put his side back in front, and the 10-8 score-line remained at half time, despite a prolonged York press for a try. Rory Mercer was stopped by a crunching tackle and another break from Abbott saw the ball held up over the Hull try-line, but that was the closest the home side would come again this half.
Early in the second half however, York began to open up a lead. Chadwick kicked a penalty and Will Sharp outpaced everyone to get on the end of an up and under and score in the corner, giving the black and gold a 16-10 advantage.
York now looked more in control and were dominating when it came to territory. Another penalty made it 19-10 before Hull hit back immediately courtesy of another long distance penalty kicked to the York 5m line and a rolling maul that resulted in a score in the corner.
At 19-15, the game was open again, but, unlike last week, when they let a big lead over Leeds Met slip, they killed off the game. Chadwick saw men over on the open side, throwing a wide pass to Will Peters, who in turn found Pollen who finished well. Chadwick’s conversion made it 26-15.
Chadwick then added further to the York tally by running a great line after his forwards had turned the ball over inside the Hull half. He broke through and scored under the posts, giving himself a simple conversion to make it 33-15 and assure his side of victory.
‘We came back well from last week in a similar situation’, said captain for the day Matt Pollen after the final whistle. ‘We stuck with our game plan and carried it through to the end’.