UYRUFC 1ST XV secured a Roses whitewash for their club with a commanding 22-6 victory over their red rose counterparts.
After an even first half York were able to kick on in the second and eventually cruised to victory courtesy of trys from Tom Chadwick and Adam Gaskell.
Lancaster took the lead within minutes when their outside-centre slotted over a long-range penalty to make it 3-0 but before long Chadwick struck over a tricky penalty of his own to level the scores.
It was a scrappy and frustrating start for York in a game they were expected to win, and Lancaster retook the lead through another penalty before York’s Will Ward, who had looked lively all game, broke the line and won his side a penalty when Lancaster deliberately knocked on following his offload. Chadwick obliged with another three points to level the scores once again.
A superb saving tackle from York winger Gabriel Adebiyi then prevented Lancaster from running in the first try of the game. Lancaster’s left wing broke away and looked to be in, only for Adebiyi to cover huge amounts of ground and bring him down just inside the 22.
York began to move into the ascendency towards the end of the half and another penalty on the stroke of half-time meant that they went in 9-6 up at the break.
The away side continued with the momentum in the second half and before long they had their first try. The outstanding Chadwick took the ball blind and chipped over the defence before snapping up the loose ball following a Lancaster error. He beat the last man to touch down in the corner, making it 14-6.
As well as notching all of York’s points thus far, Chadwick was also controlling the game with his boot. His accurate kicking kept up the York pressure, keeping the red rose penned inside their own half and putting his own side in the driving seat.
York were immediately back on the attack as a Hugo Watson break put them within five metres of the tryline. Lancaster’s fly-half scuffed his clearing kick; York’s forwards took the ball down and powered a rolling maul over the line; Adam Gaskell touching down to make it 19-6.
With a comfortable lead under their belt, York were ruthless in shutting Lancaster totally out of the game. Another Chadwick break and a chip from Ward set up the white rose camp deep within the Lancaster 22 once again and the home side could not withstand the pressure, conceding a penalty with which Chadwick made no mistake in making it 22-6.
With York now bringing out the flair offloads and playing with real swagger, an injury to lock Sam Lord cut the game a few minutes short as the referee made the decision to put an end to Lancaster’s misery and confirm yet another Roses rugby whitewash for UYRUFC.
Captain James Faktor was elated at the final whistle: “I was off the pitch for most of the game with my shoulder injury but it was a great performance,” he said.
“We knew they’d come out strong but the longer the game went on the more we knew we wouldn’t let them get over our tryline. We were patient and we had the men outside to score trys. Tom Chadwick had a great game, the forwards were dominant all game. We’ll go far next year, I’m tipping us for promotion.”
