The new rugby season kicked off for Northallerton men’s first XV with a cup game against Baildon RUFC. The club had hosted a successful summer touch rugby competition featuring ten teams from both home and nearby clubs. Nevertheless, it had been a long spell off the field for the lads since their promotion from Yorkshire 3 league last time around, however, having survived coach Robbo’s pre-season fitness regime they felt ready to take on the challenge of the visitors.
The first ten minutes of the game was understandably, a cagey affair, as both teams looked to find their rhythm and remember how to play. A number of knock-ons meant that the scrum was worn in quickly, North just managing to gain an upper hand. Much of the game had taken place in the middle of the field, not moving far beyond the ten metre lines until full back Tom Peacock gave the spectators a taste of what he will hopefully bring plenty of this year with a long, spiralled 50:22 kick from within his own half that gave the hosts a lineout 5 metres out and the territory they needed to launch the first attack. From the resulting drive and subsequent rucks it was debutant flanker Ed Wilkinson who drove over for the opening score of the game. This spurred North into life and they quickly established themselves back down in Baildon’s half through strong carries from the forwards. Captain Ed Meek set up a rolling maul close the visitor’s line which caught them off guard and from the trundle Iain Swall flopped over to score the try. Ollie Walters kicked the conversion to extend the lead to 12-0. The first designated water break was looming and North looked to be taking a healthy lead into it until a loose kick found the Baildon fullback who gave the first glimpse of what he would offer for the day as he gathered the ball and then glided his way past several defenders to score a retaliatory try on the break. The conversion was added.
Having had the necessary refreshment break, the message seemed to have gone through the Baildon team that there was space out wide to be exploited. They stopped carrying through the forwards, instead opting to pass everything through the hands to their pacey wider players. In very quick succession they scored three tries with two conversions, all of a similar nature by getting on the outside and, with some excellent support play keeping the ball alive, beat the covering defence to score. This turned the tide of the game as North went into the half time break somewhat stunned by this rapid-fire scoring session. The half time score was 12-26.
The hot weather made for glorious spectating conditions, however the players may have had a different view and it became apparent that fitness levels were being tested as the pace of the game slowed somewhat in the start of the second half. A scrum in the middle of the pitch for the hosts, who were now playing up the slope, gave Iain Swall the chance to break off the back and charge through the defence putting centre Ollie Redding into space and it was only a last-ditch tackle from the full back that put Redding into touch. North were able to turn the lineout over and force a scrum on the five metre line. After numerous phases of play from the forwards, Phil Swall drove his way over the line to score North’s next try which Walters converted. There was an almost immediate reply from the away side as their forwards showed that they could find the try line just as well as their backs could. A catch and drive from a penalty kick to the corner yielded the try, again on the stroke of the water break.
North went into the last quarter of the game trailing 19-31 but believed the game was still within reach. A Baildon penalty in front of posts gave the visitors the chance to add three more points to their tally, but from the resulting restart North made swift progress up the field with Redding making another good break through the middle of the defence. David Baker showed what impact he can make by carrying several times into the onrushing tacklers, eventually making his way over the line on the corner of the pitch to head into the final five minutes with North needing eight points to win. Despite throwing all their energy into the effort, it was one of the standout performers of the day who had the last say. The Baildon fullback fielded yet another long kick inside his 22-metre area from North who were looking to gain territory and set off on an arcing run that took him past several defenders and down most of the length of the pitch to score under the posts. The conversion was added before the whistle to make the final score Northallerton 24 – Baildon 41. In the end it was the pace of the visitor’s backs that proved the difference, however there were plenty of positive signs about a lot of North’s performance to encourage their spectators about the team’s chances in the higher league this season.
Congratulations to two new debutants for Northallerton, Ed Wilkinson and Callum Poppitt who both had standout performances in the back row. A big thank you to Baildon for travelling in such good numbers for the first of the season. Thank you also to the referee for officiating the game and to all the volunteers and spectators who helped make the day happen.
For any readers wanting to get involved with rugby in Northallerton, the men train on Tuesday and Thursday 7pm, the ladies train Wednesday 7pm and the juniors play on Sunday 10am. Please contact the club on social media for more information.