4 LEAGUE WINS FROM 5

Unfortunately Northallerton 2nd and 3rd team games away were both cancelled at late notice. Redcar 3rds withdrew from facing North 3rds after their 2nds 70 point defeat to North's 2nds last week, while the 2nds game at Richmond was called off after overnight snow left the pitch unplayable on Saturday morning.
North's 1st team game at home to Thornensians was however never in danger to the weather, and proceeded with North winning their fourth league game out of five by 13-3.
North started the game in full flow and soon put the visitors on the back foot. Strong scrummaging from North's front five combined with good ball retention, resulted in the home team going over after only 5 minutes, second row Richard Dongsdale emerging from the bottom of a pile of players to claim the score! The reliable boot of Doug Mulholland made a valiant effort with the conversion from out wide, but the attempt fell just short - well it went 10 yards!!! North continued to dominate the scrums and push the visitors back at each scrum, the Thorne number 8 however was controlling the ball remarkably well and managing to get the ball out to his backs. When Thorne did pressure the home team, they were confronted by some determined tackling from Joe Terry and Matty Bell. Flash Mackintosh and Rob Green also seemed to be growing in confidence and seemed to be in the right spot at the right time to snuff out any danger. Youngster Green was having a particularly good game in the back row after spending most of the season on the wing, and looks a fine prospect for the future.
After half an hour North got the reward their hard work deserved when Liam Lincoln cleared out 3 opposition players at a ruck, allowing scrum half Nathan Cannell to feed the ball out through his backs and eventually ending in the reliable hands of Bell. Bell then handed off his opposite number before scoring in the corner. Again Mulholland's conversion attempt fell just short(went 12 yards this time).
Just before half time the visitors reduced the deficit by converting an easy penalty given for a debatable offside decision. HALF TIME 10-3

The second half was more evenly contested with Thorne upping the tempo but still struggling in the scrums. North did have a 10 minute spell when they were camped on the visitors 5 metre line in an attempt to score a 3rd try to seal the game. Some tremendously brave tackling by Thorne combined with a couple of bad decisions by North however prevented any change in the score line.
With 20 minutes left North then suffered a double blow as first, influential fly half Joe Terry had to go off injured replaced by Tim Tombling, followed soon after by vice captain Don McStone who had to be replaced by the multi positional Martin Dennison. Then after another five minutes North were reduced to 14 men when prop Nick Bainbridge was sin binned for his stomach being repeatedly offside. With just fifteen minutes left the visitors pressed relentlessly for the converted try needed to even the scores, but again North's players held firm to withstand wave after wave of Thorne attacks. North then got a rest from the pressure when Rhys Kilbride broke from his own half and set upon on a mazy run towards the visitors try line. He was halted 20 yards out by an illegal foul, and from the resulting penalty by Tom Young, North went 13-3 up to leave Thorne needing two scores to even things out. When Bainbridge's 10 minutes were up North opted to introduce Rocky Peake to help with reducing the Thorne attacking options and shore up the game. FINAL SCORE 13-3

Next week North play one of their postponed games from earlier in the season, away at Aireborough, while the seconds are due to play at home in the next round of the North Yorkshire Trophy. Hopefully Northallerton should also get a 3rd team out at home to Seaton Carew.