YORK RI's game-plan against Yorkshire Two leaders Dinnington was left in tatters as they finally bowed to a 22-13 reverse.

The pre-match withdrawal of Ian Hassall and Ashley Casey through injury forced new signings Alex Smith and Stuart Watson to come in.

Despite this disruption RI gave a spirited display and took a 15th-minute lead, Matthew Yates kicking a penalty when Dinnington were caught offside. Dinnington's first score was against the run of play, winger John Davidson going the length of the field when an RI attack broke down on the visitors' line. Dean Lax converted.

RI, however, refused to take a step back and from a blind side break by Tim Barley, the ball was shipped to Rod Simms, who squeezed in at the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful but at least RI had their noses 8-7 in front at half time.

The second half was only five minutes old when Dinnington regained the lead. Ex-Harrogate prop Pinder charged over from a five-metre scrum. Lax missed the conversion.

Dinnington's bigger pack were proving a handful for RI and disrupted the home side's scrums for a great deal of the game. However, RI stood up to the task manfully and from a scrum near the Dinnington line the outstanding Barley nipped through the defence to give RI the lead again by one point.

RI held out until the hour when their luck ran out, a dubious penalty and a try by Alan Frew on the stroke of time sealing victory.

Updated: 10:32 Monday, October 08, 2001