Miffed Rishies fall to late try

Neither side was really able to get going or show any cohesion in a game that had more stoppages than actual play.

The referee seemed to find an offence at almost every breakdown and sprinkled yellow cards around like confetti – six in all in a well-fought game devoid of foul play.

Both sides were at times down to 13 men – the last card being a crucial and hotly disputed one for Rishworthians, which led to the winning try with the last move of the match.

The fact that the score was 3–0 at half-time to Rishworthians, thanks to a Joe Billing penalty, sums up the game.

Rishworthians had their chances early on and might have scored from the kick-off but the final tackle stopped left wing Anthony Shoesmith after a good move in the backs.

Then the visitors won a scrum against the head but No 8 Andy Shickell’s long pass was not held.

Billing put them ahead with a penalty but then they spent long periods on the back foot. However the defence never looked likely to be breached.

Early in the second half Rishworthians got the breakthrough. A missed pass from Leos brought a loose ball, which was snapped up by centre Taniela Bakoso, who raced to the line. Billing added the conversion.

The game then meandered along and it looked as if the visitors might take away the points until the last five minutes when a missed tackle – one of the few in the game allowed the home side in for a converted try.

Even then it looked as Rishworthians might hang on until the referee got out his cards and sent Shickell to the bin for what he deemed a high tackle.

Two minutes later it was Shoesmith’s turn to go as he jumped on an opponent’s back in what the referee regarded as a high tackle.

It left the visitors with 13 players and Leos used the overlap from the penalty to score in the opposite corner. Even that was disputed with an appeal for a forward pass and it took several seconds before the try was declared.

Rishworthians seconds beat a Wharfedale XV 36–16 at Copley. There were three tries for Rhys Town and one each for Josh Illingworth, Liam Phillips and Gerard Rollings. Lee Atkinson kicked one conversion and Cameron Duffy got two more.