A SUPERB all-round display against Brookouse by West Bank was rewarded with a second victory of the Yorkshire League Division Two season.
The York side were 12-8 winners over their title challenging Division Two opponents at Lowfield School on Saturday.
West Bank took an early lead through a Dave Murray penalty but that score was cancelled out by a try for the Wakefield-based visitors after a rare defensive lapse by the hosts.
However, good approach work from impressive centre Gaz Dickinson put Brookhouse under pressure and a neat kick through saw ever-improving winger Jimmy Parsons race clear to ground the ball. Murray narrowly missed the conversion.
The second half started with West Bank exerting considerable pressure and they were rewarded around the hour mark with a try from strong running loose forward Russ Carter, Dickinson adding the extras for a 12-4 lead.
The visitors replied with their second score of the match but West Bank's defence, led by outstanding pair John Condren and Mark Mosley, held firm to give the York team two well deserved and valuable points.
York Acorn 'A' strengthened their Yorkshire League Alliance Division Two championship challenge with a battling 21-18 home win over a very physical Redhill 'A' side.
The visitors took a 14-0 lead midway through the first half but that prompted Acorn to reveal the team spirit which has served them so well this season.
The Blue and Golds responded to trail 14-8 at half-time following tries by stand-off Paul Smith and winger Pete Carr.
The Thanet Road side stepped up a gear after the break and profited from the strong running and astute passing of centre Chris Batterby and the probing of hooker John Clark.
Further tries came from Batterby and Carr, while Smith added a drop goal to secure the points.
Depleted New Earswick All Blacks 'A' were routed 72-10 at Stanningley in Division Two after travelling with only 14 players.
Heworth 'A' avenged their away defeat at Normanton Knights 'A' with a comprehensive 56-16 victory in Alliance Division One at Elmpark Way.
Centre Andy Tindall broke the deadlock with an unconverted try and captain Chris Loftus soon added a second to put the Villagers in control.
Tries then flowed at regular intervals through winger Gavin Grant, forward Ian Jones, which he subsequently converted, and a second for Tindall.
And, after Normanton scored a try of their own, former York RL second row forward Craig Forsyth went over just before half-time, Jones again converted for a 28-6 interval lead.
The second half mirrored the first as Heworth crossed the line through winger Nick Potter, scrum-half Andy Davis and Forsyth while Grant completed his hat-trick.
Man-of-the-match Forsyth starred in an excellent team performance, backed by Davis and prop forward Steve O'Gorman.
Selby Warriors were narrowly defeated 20-16 at home by Sherburn in Yorkshire League Division Two, while Clifton Moor were whitewashed 40-0 by visiting Division Five leaders Wetherby.
An injury crisis befell Harrogate at the worst possible time - in the run up to their clash with the leading Leeds Sunday League side Pudsey Victoria.
Graft and grit from player coach Hugh Gumbs, John Chandler, Paul Roberts and Eddie Bolton was not enough for Harrogate to avoid heavy defeat, the North Yorkshire side going down 58-4.
However, the home side scored the try of the match, a marvellous solo effort by Mark Coultas, who danced through the Pudsey defence before sprinting to the line.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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