WE LOVE THAT REF!

Please find following match report for Saturday 24/04/10.

Northallerton 1st team entertained high flyers Bramley Phoenix in the final league game of the season, and emerged triumphant in a memorable encounter by 24-20.
The first 15 minutes of the game were evenly contested with neither team managing to break down the oppositions defences. That was until North launched an impressive backs move involving Bell, Read, Kilbride and Townsend before James Read came round on the loop and looked likely to score but knocked on again. From that mistake the visiting winger raced away into the space vacated by the North winger, to score unopposed. Then soon after, while the home team were still recovering, the Bramley fly half did a full 360 degree pirouette before offloading to his supporting centre, who was clearly four feet in front of him. With the home fans and tactical coach Max Willoughby shouting profusely for a forward pass, the Bramley player burst through two tacklers to score out wide and take a 12-0 lead. Soon after that there was a slight melee when a Bramley player appeared to attempt to tackle Paul Dixon by pulling his hair, this resulted in a slight fracas followed by a yellow card each for Joe Terry and the Bramley number 4. With half time looming, North made one last effort to break down the resolute visiting defence with strong forward orientated play. Robinson and Sanderson combined well to send Richard Dongsdale over for North's first points of the game. Dan Luck narrowly missed the conversion. Half time 5-12

At half time North were forced to make two changes as injured prop Nick Bambridge was replaced by youngster Paul Dennison, and tiring scrum half Russ Smith was replaced by vet Ed Bulman.

North started the second half on the front foot, and rallied by Mike Rhodes and potential 3rd team player of the year Steve Robinson, got stuck straight into the opposition, giving them no room or time gather momentum. After 5 minutes of the half North scored a try identical to last week, when they carried a rolling maul from the visitors 22 all the way over the try line with Bramley unable to provide any answer to the strength and power of the 9 man mail. Robinson eventually came up smiling with ball, much to the frustration of the opposition, to whom Robinson cheekily passed the ball to! The referee however took exception to this and gave Robinson his customary yellow card and ten minutes rest. With the scores level at 12-12 and a man down North had to withstand constant pressure and some verbal gamesmanship from the opposition, but managed to concede just one penalty.
With the re-introduction of Robinson and the youthful exuberance of Ian Duffus, North were now securing more ball and looking more positive. However, the referee appeared to have missed another forward pass when all the North players stopped to appeal as the visiting winger again went over for a try, leaving North 8 points behind and only 10 minutes left. The home team then made a slight tactical change, replacing the tiring and elderly Dennison brother, Martin, with youngster Lee Peake. It was Peake who assisted his fellow second row Dongsdale in going over for his second try after good play from Iain Townsend and Matty Bell. Luck converted to leave North one point behind and with less than 5 minutes left. After last weeks last second defeat North were determined and confident they could win this game. Then in the last minute following a strong scrummage, North produced some fine handling to send the ball along the line and finally to Bulman who powered his way over for the match winning score and upset the visitors greatly. At the final whistle North celebrated jubilantly while Bramley were visibly upset and annoyed. Despite this the visitors still came in the clubhouse later for a few drinks and pleasantries and with Bramley still having two games left they could still gain promotion and North wish them all the luck.

Next Friday North have a season finale game of the Presidents 15 versus a Chairman's 15 with kick off at 6.30 pm followed by a David Hogg roast and Wayman karaoke!