CASTLEFORD AWAY

Northallerton 1st team travelled to Castleford to play a short notice arranged friendly against a very strong 2nd team in only North's 2nd competitive game in 7 weeks. Northallerton came away with a hard fought and well deserved 24-17 win. North were up against familiar opposition, as many of Castleford's current 2nd team used to be in the 1st team when both teams were in the same division only a few years ago!

North shook off any early rustiness with fly half Tim Tombling calling the moves and organising his backs very efficiently. This was allowing space for North's flankers to support the backs and make plenty of ground. It was back rower Ian Duffus who got North's first try following good work from Lee (THE JAILBIRD) Peake and Martin Dennison. Tim Tombling again proving his worth with an excellent conversion. The home team hit back almost immediately with a well worked try of their own following missed tackles in midfield from Northallerton. However, captain Paul Dixon rallied his troops and led by example to score yet another try from 1 yard out. That made this his most prolific scoring season in over 35 years of senior rugby. Ten minutes later Cas again came back into the game with another try caused by North's mistakes to even up the score. Just before half time both teams exchanged penalties to go in at the break tied 17-17.
North made a couple of changes in the second half, one being the introduction of veteran prop Bainbridge to tighten up the scrummaging and moved Richard Dongsdale to his more familiar second row spot. North now had total domination in the forwards but were unable to string many moves together in the loose. On the few occasions North got the ball out wide young winger Rob Green was looking very dangerous. It was Green who got his just reward with a try 15 minutes from time, when he received the ball from a huge miss pass from Tombling to side step his opposite number and outpace the covering full back to score under the posts. Tombling again converting with his usual calmness. North just about managed to keep control for the remainder of the game despite Dongsdale again being yellow carded for a minor infringement, and emerged victorious.
Next week North resume league action at home to Bramley Phoenix.

Some great pics of the game can be found here:
http://www.action-photos.net/gallerys/RUGBYS/CastVNAlln080111/CastVNAlln080111.shtml