HOME DEFEAT

What started as a promising day for Northallerton RUFC fielding three teams, a pre match buffet and game sponsorship from H Walton’s, ended in despair with all three teams ending up losing.
Northallerton first team fell to their first home defeat for nineteen months with a 12-29 loss to Goole.
North matched the visitors for the first twenty minutes before Goole gradually grew in confidence.
After twenty two minutes Goole took a quick tap penalty and muscled their way over the try line to take a five point lead.
Only three minutes later some slick and intricate passing, along with very good support play, led to another try for Goole this time under the posts.
Goole continued to look dangerous as North struggled to get a foothold in the game or threaten the visitors try line.
Five minutes before half time the game had to be halted due to a calf injury to the referee. After five minutes of ‘special’ attention from three physios, the official decided to carry on to half time and reassess his injury then.
Only a minute after the restart Goole again went over the try line when the North defence fell for a dummy out wide and allowing the visitors to score another converted try.
Half time 0-19.
During the half time break the official received more treatment from the Goole physios, who’ve probably never worked so hard before, and deemed himself fit enough to carry on.
At the beginning of the second half North were still optimistic of a comeback akin to other games this season when they had been trailing.
However after only four minutes of the second half, a series of errors and some comedic ball juggling by North, gifted Goole another try under the posts. This was the final nail in Norths coffin and all they had left to fight for now was pride.
Inspired by Captain Jonny Frank, North dug deep and began to exert some pressure on the tiring visitors.
After sixty five minutes North finally got the ball moving speedily through three sets of hands to winger Sandy Gray. Gray still had a lot to do out wide, but managed to shrug off the two covering tacklers to score in the corner.
Five minutes later North went on a rolling maul from twelve yards out, Goole had neither the strength or skill to halt the maul as Iain Swall touched down for the try, converted by Norths dodgy fly half.
With North now only a try away from earning a loosing bonus point, they put everything they had into trying to make a break through the visitors defence. Their over eagerness though, led to a penalty being awarded to Goole for offside, which the visitors converted to close the game off.
Norths man of the match was awarded to Matthew Marsay.
Next week Northallerton first team hope to get back to winning ways with a away trip to Yarnbury with a 2.15pm kick off.

Northallerton seconds travelled away to play Bradford and Bingley second team and fell to a convincing 58-10 defeat. Norths points coming from Alix Wallis and Jonny Baker.
Next week North seconds are awaiting fixture confirmation.

Northallerton third team had their first outing of the season, and made the short journey to Yarm with only a ‘unlucky’ bakers dozen of players before falling to a 26-12 defeat.
Norths tries coming from forwards Paul Dennison and Gareth Essex and a conversion from Tom Rennison.

Thank you
H Johnson.