Rishies make hard work of home success

Several times mistakes cost them tries after some excellent approach work and every time the visitors refused to lie down and hit back hard.

Late in the second half, the Dalesmen clawed their way back to level at 31-all, but Rishworthians rallied and came back strongly in the last 10 minutes with two late tries.

It was a bonus point win however and helped to further consolidate the home side in second place in Yorkshire Two.

It started well with sustained pressure, which eventually saw centre Ben Waud cruise over in the corner. Josh Kelly added the conversion and successfully completed seven of his eight kicks.

Ribb’s Nathan Harding had a good day with the boot too, being successful with all five of his kicks, the first coming to level the score after his forwards had replied by driving over in the corner.

Rishworthians came back with a planned move, left wing Anthony Shoesmith looping round from his wing to put fullback Joe Billing in at the corner. Kelly converted.

Centre Doug Heseltine was having another excellent game and ran the ball strongly out of defence.

Shoesmith and flanker Jacob Bower were almost over before Ribb came back and battered the home line, eventually forcing their way over for a converted try to level again.

Waud was almost in again after a flowing move but was adjudged in touch.

Rishworthians continued the pressure and went ahead again on the stroke of half-time as prop Jack Smart stumbled his way over. Kelly converted to end the half.

The visitors reduced the arrears with a penalty to start the second half, but the home men soon increased their lead.

First Waud was held up over the line, then Billing juggled with the ball and linked with Shoesmith and Heseltine before hooker Toby Muscat-Baron joined in to dive over. Kelly converted.

Rishworthians then threw away several gilt-edged chances with unforced errors and Ribb made them pay as their forwards drove over again from short range with a third converted try.

Kelly added a penalty, but the Dalesmen came back again with another short range converted try, driving over from a lineout to level the scores.

Rishworthians should have been out of sight, but had to do it all again and got the ball out to Waud for his second try, converted by Kelly, who then added a penalty for a 10-point lead.

They ended the game with another score. A clearance kick was touched by a Ribb player and teenage wing Cam Emery kicked on and won the race for an unconverted debut try.

Rishworthians Development team won 33–20 at Bradford Salem. There were two tries each for Luke Sutcliffe and Oliver Marshall. Chris Flanagan added a fifth and Kian Sutcliffe kicked four conversions.