York went down 23-14 at Alnwick in their crucial Thwaites North 2 league match after leaving themselves too much to do in the second half.

Against a Northumberland side that contained eight county players, York didn't get moving until after the interval when they trailed by 20-0.

York had to defend desperately in the first 20 minutes, and some of their tackling was of the highest order. And Rob Liddle was the pick of the York backs in the opening period with an all-action show typified by one point when he carved 30 yards out of the Alnwick defence on the right, then pulled off a bone crunching tackle on the left flank seconds later.

Alnwick won lineout after lineout, and their continued pressure finally paid off when Hugh Burn landed a 35-yard penalty, and soon after Gary Herdman crossed for a try from what looked like a rehearsed move.

Alnwick now took total charge, and Burn dived over for another try and slotted the conversion.

Just before the break York captain Dai Lockyer came off the subs bench to replace Meek in a tactical switch. But there was no immediate effect as Alnwick surged straight to the York line and Simon Manners was credited with a push-over try to end the half.

Alnwick started the second period as they had finished the first, and Burn landed a penalty, although it was a mystery why it had been awarded.

Trailing 23-0, York started to get themselves in order, and Matt Ramos and Lee Jones began to make their presence felt.

Some of the referee's decisions were puzzling the players, and York No 8 Pete Curtis was booked for questioning one decision. York got their first reward 15 minutes into the half when the excellent Richard Stevenson raced forward from his full-back slot to score a fine try. Gary Cassidy converted.

York were now on top with fly-half Mark Roberts prompting his backs into action. In a carbon copy of York's first try Stevenson again sliced between his centres at high speed to touch down, and converted the score himself.

But York ran out of time, and were left to rue the fact they could not play the first half like the second, in which they outscored their hosts 14-3.

The London-based official ruled out a try to each side, claiming to be unsighted, and appeared out of his depth in this class of rugby.

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