Firsts v Scarborough 8th October 2005
Scarborough 34 Knottingley 10
The sides were more evenly matched than the scoreline suggests.
In rainswept conditions, both sides produced a feast of running rugby with
few handling errors.Knottla opened the scoring with a penalty by Steve
Rockett after 5 minutes. The home centre repeatedly infringed, but Knottla
kicked for touch and their backs were unable to capitalise. After an evenly
contested first quarter,the deadlock was broken by a try from the home side,
Ruan Ras, following a Knottla defensive error. Scarborough then scored two more
tries by the 25 minute mark, from winger Fairburn, and centrt Junior Jupai, the
latter converted by marcus Edwardes.
Knottla came back into the game following fine forward play. A defensive kick
into touch by the home standoff after 43 minutes play was followed by the half
time whistle. However, the referee rescinded his decision, giving a penalty to
Scarborough for a deemed shoulder charge on the standoff, even thhough the
player was committed to the tackle. From the field position gained, Scarborough
were given a further 5 minutes play, ended when they scored from a lineout.
Edwaeds converted.
From the restart Knottla forwards, for whome Paul |Sutcliffe, Des Wilson and
Mark Woolford were outstanding, again gave the backs a superb platform, but were
unable to break the home defense. From a maul on the Scarborough 5 yard line,
Knottla went over but were unable to ground. An error in midfield was penalised
by a further try from the home side by Rouse.
Knottla were winning all lineout possession via Matthew Lund, and the
forwards were immense in the loose and scrum. Scarborough prop as sin binned for
persistently slowing play, but it was during this period thatScarborough scored
their final points from a well worked back move, putting fairburn over in the
corner, again converted.
Knottla never stopped trying and their efforts were finally rewarded with a
fine try by Ashe, following interpassing with Charlton. The conversion by
Rockett signaled the end of the game.
The referee adjudicated well, but his decision to give 2 formal warnings to
the Scarborough centre for persistent offside, without taking any action was
inexplicable, given that this ws the cause of much of the Knottla back line
moves breakiong down.
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