York 1sts 28 – Sheffield 1sts 5

With promotion hopes hanging in the balance, and tied at the top of the table with Sheffield Hallam University two games from the end of the season, York went into their midweek match with Sheffield University knowing they needed a win.

The game didn’t begin well for York though, who turned over possession for a ball holding penalty 13 minutes in. Sheffield promptly sped down York’s left wing to get the first points on the board in convincing fashion. However, failure to convert the wide kick meant the score stayed at 5 – 0 to Sheffield. In the early stages of the game York appeared dominant but turned over possession in attacking areas and didn’t register any points. Sheffield squandered an opportunity to go further ahead with a missed penalty from long range and were penalised 26 minutes in with a sin binning. The loss of the man removed the attacking threat Sheffield had produced. York missed the subsequent penalty and failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage though. At half time the score remained 5-0 to Sheffield.

In the second half York chose to focus their efforts into driving Sheffield downfield with the superior weight and strength of their forwards. York managed to score a try in the 56th minute after a long period of pressure at the top of the left wing. York successfully recycled possession through a number of sequences of play before Tom Weir grounded the ball for 5 points. Rob Grant converted the try to give York the lead for the first time in the game at 7 – 5.

With the score so close a tense deadlock developed in the wake of the try, and this was only broken by a try from York’s Gabriel Adebiyi in the 70th minute. In a spectacular solo effort Adebiyi beat the Sheffield defence for pace in a 40 yard scramble for a loose ball kicked forward to clear York’s defences. Again Grant provided the conversion to give York a cushion at 14 – 5.

Things went from bad to worse for Sheffield who missed yet another penalty and had another man yellow carded in quick succession.

This left Weir to pick up a second try and Tom Bugge to finish off with York’s fourth. Grant provided the conversions on both occasions, taking the final score to 28 – 5.

This convincing display bodes well for York’s final game and the promotion contest with Sheffield Hallam.