YORK RI lost the opportunity to progress further up the Yorkshire Three table with a disappointing 10-7 defeat against Stocksbridge in a bad tempered game.

Although RI had much of the early play they fell behind after 10 minutes, when slack marking allowed the visitors' winger Wilkinson an easy run in to the corner.

Stocksbridge's physical approach saw their scrum half Bye sin-binned and while off the field a forward drive by RI saw prop Andy Morse barge over under the posts. Matthew Yates' conversion gave RI a 7-5 lead.

The game changed for the worse for RI when after another Stocksbridge transgression RI lost their composure resulting in the dismissal of the home team's No 8.

Down to 14 men, RI took the game to Stocksbridge and only stubborn defence by the visitors kept them out.

Leading 7-5 at half time RI continued to run the game, and even being one man short in the scrum, looked the team most likely to win.

RI looked safe until a lapse of concentration with three minutes to go cost them dearly. An overlap on the right saw Wilkinson score his second try to secure the points for Stocksbridge.

Updated: 09:53 Monday, March 17, 2003