Halifax battle to narrow win

Rugby Union - Halifax v Skipton. Tony Curtis for Halifax.Rugby Union - Halifax v Skipton. Tony Curtis for Halifax.
Rugby Union - Halifax v Skipton. Tony Curtis for Halifax.
Halifax boosted their Yorkshire Four promotion challenge with a 14-13 home win over fellow contenders Skipton yesterday.

The third meeting of the pair this season was every bit as tight as expected but home player-coach Giles Hetherington thought his side had executed their game plan perfectly.

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“We were aware that they would try to run the ball from everywhere but we worked very hard on defence - every player was colossal.”

Second-placed Halifax led 6-0 at half time with a penalty from scrum half Richard Cole and a drop goal from Hetherington.

Skipton hit back with an unconverted try and added a second and a penalty later.

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However, Halifax shaded the verdict with a fine try from winger Elliott Hoyle, after they had moved the ball well, and a second drop goal from Hetherington.

The Ovenden Park men showed good control to protect their narrow lead in the closing 15 minutes.

Hetherington, who spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for what the referee regarded as deliberate knock-on, added: “It was a huge win for us because it puts eight points between us.”

Halifax were the only one of Calderdale’s six rugby union clubs in first team league action yesterday.