YARNBURY were part of a big day at Baildon last Saturday, with the home side just missing out on promotion from Counties Two Yorkshire, despite defeating the visitors 81-7.

Now Yarnbury have their own big day this Saturday, entertaining Southam in the second round of the Papa Johns Community Cup North Plate.

Steve, head coach of Yarnbury, said of the Papa Johns: “We won at Kesteven the weekend before we faced Baildon, so we are at home to Southam next week.

“Hopefully we will have a day like Baildon have had today – a good turnout and we can progress to the semis.”

The visitors from Coventry play in Midlands Two West (South), where they finished the season fifth, losing their last four league matches, whereas Yarnbury ended up sixth in their division.

Lee said of their heavy derby defeat at Jenny Lane: “We had 11 or 12 players missing as it was Easter week with holidays booked etc but we have a big squad of lads, so people came in.

“However, we were a bit short of size in terms of carrying, and it showed a little bit against a good Baildon side.

“They were always going to get good, quick ball, we couldn’t slow them down and they did some damage.

“We had three colts in – the outside centre Mason Baker and two of the lads on the bench – which is actually two less than we normally have had recently, but we have this cup game next weekend, so I was looking after a few of them.

“Our realistic expectation was to get a bonus point and move above Ripon in the table.

“We knew that we were going to be under the cosh for periods as Baildon have gone really well and played some good rugby.

“If we had played in midweek we would have made a better fist of it.”

Yarnbury’s points came in the 71st minute with a try by replacement Jem Windridge-France and a conversion by fly half Max Lee.

Lee said of Yarnbury’s league campaign: “I am really pleased with how things have turned out for us. We had won our last seven games before this – six in the league and the cup – and if we can get our best side out we are a match for anyone in the division.

“But results don’t lie and we haven’t beaten any of the top four home or away, although we have been in some arm wrestles with them.

“However, we have beaten everyone below us and won five or six on grass, so we haven’t just been relying on our carpet.”

Looking ahead to 2023-24, Lee said: “Next season is about building up our pool of players who are capable of playing for the first team and bringing some more of the colts through.

“There are 22 in their squad so hopefully we can retain as many as we can and get them into the senior teams and they will then develop.

“That is our lifeblood bringing the youth through as we don’t tend to get many players from outside of the club. Our other aim is to preserve the lower teams and offer good, social rugby.

“We aspire to get three senior sides out but since Christmas we have been getting two out because players have been injured.

“If the colts play on a Sunday we don’t like to play them on the Saturday as well.”