DESPITE playing their best rugby of the season for much of their Thwaites Northern Division Two match against Percy Park at Clifton Park on Saturday York lost 8-5.

York's red-blooded team rugby deserved to see them 20 points clear before the break.

Prolonged surging forward drives interspersed with deft short passing from backs and forwards promised so much.

Total line-out control on York's ball, all their own scrum ball and more than enough turnovers left the crowd wondering why York are nearly bottom of their league. The answer is that York have lost their scoring touch.

Percy Park started well by driving deep into York territory and finding a good touch in the hosts' 22. York were penalised for creeping off-side and Andy McNab put Percy Park in front in the third minute. It was about the only time Percy Park were in York's half in the first half.

Right wingman Rob Liddle hurtled to the visitors' line but was stopped by a quality tackle. York ran from the maul but Park's defence held firm.

A penalty 35 metres out saw Scott pull the ball wide.

Steve Humphries, with Dave Spanton, was having a giant of a game. Both York second rows were easily the pick of the two teams, with Humphries, in particular, driving over the gain line after hitting the ball at pace.

York knocked-on over Park's line and the visitors cleared from the scrum. York ran back at them and forced a line-out five yards from Park's line and drove the visitors over their line but couldn't score.

In the 34th minute a rare Percy Park visit into York's 22 metre area was easily cleared when first Humphries, then Dorking and finally Spanton each took 10 metres out of the Park's pack.

The ball was quickly recycled to the backs and Scott, at fly half, sent Roberts away on a fine centre threequarter break.

A huge 'missed-man' pass to Rob Liddle saw York's winger power 25 yards to the visitors' try line to score a long overdue try tight to the corner flag. The conversion was missed but York were in front at last.

York No 8 Matt Halifax was injured and there was a long delay before York resumed their attack.

A penalty for playing the ball from the ground cost York another try.

In the second half York's Hopkins was replaced by tenacious Fijian Charlie Karma and the attacks continued.

Ten minutes into the half a terrific tackle by Liddle on his opposite number stopped a rare Percy Park raid.

Disaster struck when York were continuing their all-out assault. A dropped poor pass was picked up by Liam Casey, who ran 85 yards to the York line to score the winning try.

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