Rishworthians up to seventh

Old Rishworthians comfortably defeated bottom side Wheatley Hills by 26-7 at Doncaster yesterday, the only disappointment being their failure to secure a four-try bonus point.
Wheatley Hills v Old Rishworthians
Gez Rawlings scoresWheatley Hills v Old Rishworthians
Gez Rawlings scores
Wheatley Hills v Old Rishworthians Gez Rawlings scores

However, the five teams below them in the table all lost and they climbed to seventh in their first season in Yorkshire One.

The team showed several changes from the previous week with Jack Andrews moving into the second row and Gerard Rollings at No 8. All three scrum halves were unavailable, so Joe Billing took over. Sam Nunn started his first game since being injured on December 2 and Chris Dyson made his first start of the season.

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The pitch was in good condition, in spite of the heavy rain and frost, and the visitors almost scored in the first minute but a pass went astray. However, Josh Kelly kicked a penalty for offside after three minutes.

Rishworthians were starting to keep pressure on the large Wheatley Hills pack, who were kept in their own 22 by Kelly.

Good runs from the front row of Harry Whitfield, Chris Stone and Josh Crickmay, made sure that the backs had the home side on the back foot.

After 15 minutes the Wheatley Hills full back Craig Jeffells was yellow carded for a high tackle and the visitors made use of the extra man by scoring the opening try. Anthony Shoesmith gathered the ball on the left and created a gap for Sam Nunn to touch down.

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Kelly’s conversion attempt hit the upright but he added two penalties to make the score 14-0 and Hills had hardly been in the Old Rishworthians half.

The next try had quality written all over it. Good handling by Luke and Chris Flanagan enabled Ben Waud to break through and the supporting Rollings dived over near the corner flag. Kelly missed the conversion.

The Wheatley forwards started to win more ball with Dan Undy and Paul Purnell making ground but these breaks were stopped by Harvey Keighley-Payne, who was having another storming game in line outs and the loose.

Jack Andrews seemed to enjoy his new position and together with Frazer Swarbrooke made useful ground up the middle. At half time the score was 19-0.

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The second half did not produce the try feast that the visitors were hoping for as the home side went up a gear and started to pose threats by running the ball.

From one attack Nunn intercepted and ran 40 metres to score under the posts for a try converted by Kelly.

The visitors were suddenly defending. An attack of 14 phases was turned over near the try line and Kelly cleared.

The defence, especially by the front row and Andrews, had been exceptional but eventually Hills right wing Dave Laycock scored a try converted by Gillivray.

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Rishworthians had two further penalties and kicked for the corner, Waud almost getting over.

RISHWORTHIANS’ development team lost 38-5 to Bradford Salem in a North Championship Merit League match. The Rishworthians try was scored by Luke Dawrant.

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