From the touchline by Dave Campbell

15 TOM COAD – SANDAL

14 DOUGH FLOCKHART – DONCASTER

13 JOE MARTIN – HULL IONIANS

12 TOMASI TANUMI – BEVERLEY

11 JAMIE BROADLEY – SHEFFIELD TIGERS

10 GREG WOOD – SANDAL

9  CHRIS HALLAM – DONCASTER

1 JASON MOSS – BRADFORD&BINGLEY

2  TOM RICE – HULL IONIANS

3  STEVE JOHNSON – HULL IONIANS

4  ROYCE CADMAN – HULL IONIANS

5  GREGOR HAYTOR – SHEFFIELD TIGERS

6  BEN MORRIS – BLAYDON

7  KERRY WOOD – HULL IONIANS

8  GAVIN JONES – BLAYDON

ACTION FROM LAST YEAR’S YORKSHIRE-LANCASHIRE GAME AT SILVER ROYD

This Saturday (18^th of May) sees the second Rugby Football Union (RFU) Bill Beaumont County Championship game played at Silver Royd. Following the successful hosting of the Yorkshire-Lancashire Roses game last year, the RFU women’s divisional championship game between the North and the Midlands in March and the Colleges International between England and the Irish Exiles last month, Scarborough has been chosen as the venue for this year’s clash between Yorkshire and Durham. The game will be preceded at noon by the charity game between a yorkshirerugby.net XV and a Yorkshire Overseas Stars XV. Lunch will be served at two venues on the ground and this will be followed by the county game. Adding spice to it all is the fact that Durham coach Peter Taylor started his Rugby career at Scarborough and played from youth to 1^st XV rugby at our previous home at Newby; many of his former teammates and friends will be in attendance for what should be a cracking game. There will be rides for the kids, food outlets and a BBQ  and I’m sure it will be a great day. See you there!

ALL PREPARED AT SCARBOROUGH R.U.F.C

A PACKED STAND

THE TEAMS COME OUT

   Scarborough: 6   York: 16 

By Dave Campbell 

Referee: Mr Dave Lindsey                                                            Attendance:             471 

Following last week’s five try demolition of Wath, Scarborough looked to conclude their home campaign with a win over York at Silver Royd. However they never managed to harness the elements to their advantage in a turgid first half and led 3-0 at the break. The Minster-men dominated the second forty minutes through their powerful pack and ran out comfortable 16-6 winners of a somewhat stop-start affair. 

Playing with a brisk southerly breeze behind them Scarborough took the game to the visitors in the early stages with Fly-half Tom Harrison and centre Tom Ratcliffe using the wind well with a series of hefty touch-kicks to take play deep into York territory. However their poor ball retention at the breakdown saw some good field position squandered. The Seasiders did look attractive with ball in hand as they have done all season but gifted far too many turnovers in the tackle. 

The underemployed scoreboard operator was at last called into action in the 17^th minute when York drifted offside 35 metres out and Ratcliffe kicked the resulting penalty to nudge the home side 3-0 ahead. The second quarter of the game saw Scarborough make several excursions into York territory with Harrison, fullback Corey Dennis and Ratcliffe making some hard yards. A surging run deep into the visitors’ 22 by Ratcliffe on the half-hour saw them infringe as they tried to halt the big centre’s progress; however his penalty attempt was unsuccessful as was a couple of efforts from York fullback John Dawes and a largely forgettable first half drew to a close with Scarborough 3-0 to the good. 

With the wind behind them York took control at the beginning of the second half and were awarded a penalty for an infringement at a ruck 20 metres out. Dawes failed to improve on his zero first half tally.  However the visitors were now dominating the set scrums and apparently wheeling and driving the home eight back at will. And they took the lead in the 46^th minute when referee Mr Lindsey penalized Scarborough for an offence at the tail of a defensive lineout; scrum-half Matt Dudman took a quick tap-penalty and scampered diagonally right to left across the home 22 and released wing Eddie Bradshaw to power over in the corner for 5-3. Dawes failed to convert but made amends six minutes later when he nudged his side 8-5 ahead with a penalty awarded when Scarborough infringed just outside their own 22. 

With the game going into its final quarter Scarborough were finding it increasingly difficult to get out of their own half due to pressure up front and the increasing southerly wind. However on a rare incursion into York territory the home side crept offside in midfield and Ratcliffe reduced the arrears to a couple of points with a long-range penalty. And an extended stay saw skipper Phil Watson take a great crash ball and power deep into the 22; however possession was surrendered and York gratefully cleared their lines. 

With a two point lead at 8-6 their only reward for a good second half performance, York turned the screw and No8 Willem Enslin crowned a great outing when he drove over on the blind side from the base of an attacking scrum in the 71^st minute. Dawes once more missed with his difficult touchline conversion attempt but was on target to clinch the points with a penalty five minutes from the end when Scarborough were offside between their 22 and 10 metre lines. 

Although they stuttered against the elements York showed the form that has seen them loose only two games since last November. Their powerful pack with props Hepworth and Rutherford in fine form and No8 Enslin running the show, dominated the second half and were the cornerstone of their win. Scarborough battled throughout and although they struggled up front they dominated the lineout which was their best source of possession. Phil Watson, Nino Cutino and Nick Ingham were the pick of the forwards, however behind them the backs struggled due to a lack of clean possession with perhaps Matty Young, Corey Dennis and Graeme Jeffrey the pick of the bunch. 

Scarborough: Dennis Young Ratcliffe Parker Jeffrey Harrison Rollinson Cutino Williams Goodman Ingham Watson (capt) Sutton Hoggard Warren Substitutes: Fish Readman Schutz (all used). 

York: Dawes Bradshaw Martin Petykus Cakaunitabua Johnson Dudman Hepworth Kerr Rutherford Fox (capt) Bates Kay Maud Enslin 

Scarborough News Star Man: Phil Watson

In what was a strength sapping afternoon in the tight for the home pack, skipper Phil Watson tackled with conviction and got over the gain line on several occasions with muscular bursts to set up go-forward ball for his side.  

________________________________________________________________________

Driffield: 80 Scarborough: 0 

By Dave Campbell 

Referee: Mr Jim Saunders (Yorkshire Society)                  Attendance: 338 

Scarborough were blown away by a superb Driffield side who scored within a minute of the start and clinched the Yorkshire One championship with twelve tries, nine of which came from a back division oozing  pace and power. 

And the tone for the afternoon was set when the Woldsmen secured the visitors kick-off; livewire scrumhalf Harvey Harding scampered up the right touchline untouched by human hand and centre Clayton Masina completed the move to touchdown with only 45 seconds on the clock. 

The Seasiders failed to secure the re-start and were immediately under pressure from a superb home midfield of fly-half Jordan McGregor and centre pairing of Masina and skipper Robin Kitching. Scarborough did have a couple of chances to snatch the lead through Tom Ratcliffe penalties but the big centre pulled both efforts wide. Crunching tackles by Phil Stewart, Luke Raines, Nino Cutino and Corey Dennis stemmed the tide but an incisive break by Kitching carved through the visiting defence and prop Simon Pettinger crashed over in the 9^th minute. Kitching converted for 12-0. 

The Woldsmen didn’t have things all their own way and Scarborough looked to attack down the flanks but solid defence held sway. However it only delayed the inevitable and the home side stretched their lead to 19-0 in the 21^st minute when the ball was moved blind from an attacking scrum in the visitors’ 22 and veteran winger Ali McClarron crossed wide on the left. Kitching added the extras for 19-0. 

The Seasiders held their own at the set scrums but the lineout was a very flappy affair; however they had their best period in the game in the second quarter and with a little more guile and composure could have got themselves back in touch; Raines, Parker, Cutino, Stewart and the ubiquitous Dennis took on the Driffield defence but too often the ball carrier looked to run through a man rather than offload. Harding was sin-binned in the 33^rd minute and the visitors redoubled their efforts to take advantage of their numerical advantage but Driffield held firm and they turned around with Scarborough 19 points adrift. 

Restored to full strength just after the break Driffield trampled all over Scarborough’s hopes of making a game of it and from the 48^th minute when the magnificent Kitching scored the first of a second half hat-trick of tries, it was a procession. Kitching added his second in the 52 minute and this was followed by tries from fullback Danny Smith in the 56^th minute then a penalty try. A second touchdown for Masina on the hour was followed by tries from second row Oliver Borman, wing Lester Bell and Kitching’s third substitute Chis Sadler complete the rout in the 79^th minute. Kitching added seven conversions with Jordan McGregor converting Sadler’s effort. 

Star men for the Yorkshire One champions were centres Clayton Masina and Robin Kitching, the former with some lovely looping runs which created a plethora of overlaps and the latter whose incisive running and unerring accuracy with the boot produced a personal tally of 33 points. 

Scarborough were undoubtedly a reshuffled and weakened side on the day and they were certainly not the first team to be turned over in such a fashion by a superb Driffield side. On the day their work at the many restarts left much to be desired and the breakdown and lineouts were real problem areas. However they stuck to their increasingly exhausting task to the end and couldn’t be faulted for effort. After what was a very positive start, including the defeat of Driffield on the first day, it was a more than disappointing end to their campaign. There is always next season! 

Scarborough: Dennis Jeffrey Ratcliffe Parker Rollinson Stewart Schutz Goodman Raines Cutino Ingham Readman Warren Sutton Hoggard Substitutes: Lowde Burgess Young 

Driffrield: Smith Bell Masina Kitching(capt) McClarron McGregor Harding Llelwyn Havler Pettinger Borman Turton Hamilton Falkingham Chapman Substitutes: Sadler Dervey Cooper 

Scarborough News Star Man: Corey Dennis 

In his last game for the club before his year in Singapore, Corey Dennis turned in a gutsy performance going forward and in defence where under huge pressure he pulled off a series of try-saving tackles. He’ll by missed.

Due to health and mobility issues I have been missing from the blogisphere for a wee while now but I now feel fit enough to carry on my ramblings in this blog. Several toe amputations have made walking difficult but I’m getting used to a weird looking right foot and walking fairly well, so fingers crossed. In my absence Driffield thrashed Scarborough 80-0 on the last day of the season, Jason Lowde resigned and Lee Douglas has been appointed as Head Coach; so plenty to talk of there. And of course county rugby returns this coming Saturday 18th of May. More on that shortly.

Cheers,

Dave

Scarborough make only one change from the team that beat Wath 33-13 at Silver Royd for the visit of York for Saturday’s derby match. Graeme Jeffrey comes in for Matt Lucas in an otherwise unchanged line-up.

This coming weekend sees the 5^th Scarborough RUFC/Breakaway Travel Mini-Rugby Festival at Silver Royd. Starting with registration on Friday evening, the festival continues through until Sunday. Over 2,000 players and spectators are expected on both Saturday and Sunday with approximately 50 teams and 200 matches being played over the weekend. Last year 621 players from under-7 to under-12 age groups took part and £1500 was raised for the Children’s Charity of Rugby. Many rides, entertainments and food outlets will be available and each child will receive a medal and tee-shirt with winners’ trophies going to all age groups.