Hullensians 34 Yarnbury 26

Yarnbury were left rueing their missed chances and mistakes after suffering defeat to their Yorkshire Two promotion rivals on Humberside.

The Horsforth side had Joe Bennett returning to the back row as they fielded their strongest side for a clash with a Hullensians outfit who have always been stern opponents.

Yarnbury struggled in the first quarter of the match with a lack of possession and paid for a dropped ball from the kick off deep in their half on this short pitch. Defensive duties were needed to keep out the Hullensians pack but from a ruck near the left touchline No8 Jason Conroy slipped in unopposed on the blind side.

With full back Guy Martinson adding the extras and also a penalty soon after when Yarnbury adjudged failed to release in the tackle, the league leaders had a ten-point start in this crucial game.

Yarnbury opened their account with a penalty from full back Jarrod Huss and they started to pin the home side back with the tactical kicking of stand-off Carl Paterson.

The pressure resulted in winger Chris Flowers taking a pass from flanker James Barrett after a scrum and going over for a try. Huss missed the conversion but gave Yarnbury the lead after 25 minutes when Hullensians had winger John Wilson sin-binned for ten minutes for a deliberate knock on.

Yarnbury didn’t take advantage of being ahead and they made two costly mistakes which ultimately cost them the game.

First they failed to clear a bouncing punt up field which forced Paterson into a hurried clearance which was charged down by wing forward Andy Smith who scored a try which Martinson converted.

This error was compounded when Hullensians swept the ball up field and winger Jack Sowden got in at the corner for a try.

Yarnbury were also guilty of squandering some good attacking positions. They kicked several penalties to the corners but the line-outs were lost or pinched by the Hullensians jumpers.

The visitors started the second half brightly and attacked the Hullensians line.

They were rewarded when prop Adam Pike was left in space for a simple run in from ten metres for a try.

Huss unexpectedly hit the post with the conversion and also rattled the woodwork with a subsequent penalty, before finally landing one to reduce Hullensians’ lead to three points.

Hullensians came back again with another try, but Yarnbury weren’t finished yet. Paterson showed the ball and dummied three defenders on his way to the line for a superb solo try which made the score 26-25.

The home side were getting jittery but in a frantic last ten minutes they mauled their way over in the corner for their final try and scrum half Andy Krebs converted magnificently to seal the win.

Yarnbury came within inches of securing two points at the death for their fourth try and a defeat of less than seven points when winger Elis Gomersall was ruled to put a toe in touch before crashing over the line.

It summed up their frustrating afternoon.