York's first venture in Yorkshire One against Sheffield Tigers at Clifton Park was a salutary one as they fell to a 24-3 reverse.

It took only a matter of minutes to realise that taking the field with a lightweight, but mobile pack, was not the key to success.

Playing into a strong wind York were soon under pressure and spent the first ten minutes in their own 22 during which Tigers missed a penalty.

A relieving kick by scrum-half James Arkle then took play to the Tiger's half where York pressure resulted in the visitors being caught offside and a penalty in front of the posts was converted by Tom Copeland.

Unfortunately, the thrust by centre Sam Arkle that brought the penalty resulted in him leaving the field with a broken rib. Almost immediately, taking advantage of York's need to reorganise, Tigers' fly-half Rob Pound levelled the scores.

At the restart home debutant Lee Denham made ground on the left only to see a good attacking position lost through a kick when keeping ball in hand would have been the better option.

On 30 minutes James Arkle left the field with concussion and while York were regrouping Tigers made their way quickly into York's half with a kick ahead which resulted in a try by left wing Phil Smith, converted by Pound.

York replied with a period of pressure only to see good ground lost because of holding on to the ball after the tackle. Just before half time Copeland's penalty attempt to reduce the arrears saw the ball drift wide of the posts.

Running the ball back from the ensuing drop-out Rob Liddle came close to scoring when he kicked ahead only to see his follow-up kick to the line skew at right angles and stick in the hands of Tiger's covering fly-half Pound.

The first half had seen York living on scraps of possession losing several balls against the head in the scrums and only holding their own in the line-outs. They were making little impact at the break down.

Early in the second half York lost a good attacking position when Nick Hare was penalised for running into his own man when a scrum for accidental off-side would have been more appropriate.

This was followed by the referee then allowing a Tigers' player to interfere with Copeland taking a quick free-kick after a mark.

He awarded a scrum for a knock-on from which winger Carl Sockett had a free run in with the York defence nowhere. Pound converted the try taking the score to 17-3 from which there was no way back for a York team that was having difficulty competing with the physical pack and breaking down the Tigers' defence wide.

Ten minutes into the second half Copeland hooked a 40-metre penalty wide. This was followed by an intense period of Tigers' pressure with a try-saving tackle from the tireless Stuart Davies preventing another score.

However, a further Tigers' try soon followed when Pound picked up and scored. He sent over the kick to give the visitors an unassailable lead.

Towards the end of the game York gained some solidity in the scrum and managed to sustain a period of pressure. But even when awarded four penalties on the Tigers' line they were unable to break the defence.

It is early days as far as the season goes, and a number of players were missing through unavailability and injury.

However, unless York are able to compete more effectively in the forwards, it could be yet another long and difficult season.

Updated: 11:46 Monday, September 10, 2001