ANOTHER DEFEAT

Northallerton 1st team hosted Rotherham Phoenix at home in desperate need of a win to turn their season around but ended up on the wrong end of 19-7 score line.
In a game spoiled by the constant shrill of the referees whistle, North showed glimpses of quality that had been lacking in recent weeks. North were quick out of the blocks with Steve Robinson leading the forwards by example. It was good work from the forwards that released winger Reese Kilbride out wide to dodge past his opposite number and evade the covering full back to score under the posts, Brian Tucker with the conversion. Rotherham then came slowly back into the game with some good placement kicking and excellent lineout work. It was from a lineout that the visitors got their first try, a well worked catch and drive move allowed the flanker to cross the line. The conversion drifted just wide. Soon after the visitors got their second try when North's ill discipline was punished with a quick tap penalty from which the visitors scored in the corner, again the conversion was wide. Five minutes before half time Rotherham were gifted another very questionable penalty from which the kicker this time made no mistake. Half time 7-13.
The second half was similar to the first with the referee again being too keen with his whistle and North being on the receiving end of most of his decisions. This resulted in 3 yellow cards for Northallerton and one for the visitors. Despite this plethora of cards the game was never dirty or cynical. The main difference between the two teams seemed to be the co-ordination and well drilled line outs of Rotherham Phoenix compared to North's not so well drilled players who performed as though they rarely trained together. North did however manage to defend extremely bravely in the last 15 minutes of the game. Sometimes too bravely for the referees liking who awarded the visitors 2 more penalties to close the game out at 7-19.