Amateur RU: Huddersfield produce winning finale

May 11 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Winning finale for Field

HUDDERSFIELD ended their National League home campaign with an encouraging 19-13 victory over Darlington Mowden Park despite being without six first team regulars.

Although next-to-bottom in III North, the Teeside visitors have shown some form of late and Huddersfield could have been forgiven for fearing the worst in the absence of top-scoring fly-half Chris Johnson, his brother Matt, the Paxman brothers, free-scoring centre Matt Clarke and prop Tony Stringwell.

But the senior players in the side stood up really well, while the young stand-ins certainly didn’t let anyone down as they battled hard for 80 minutes to chalk up a 10th win of the season.

The opening 20 minutes were tight with Field obviously suffering from so many changes in the side, but they did start to string some moves together, and after Tom Sharrock had been held up over the line, from the next play flanker Barry Jacobsz plunged over the line to get the scoreboard moving and Joel Hinchliffe, playing at No10 in the absence of Chris Johnson (and taking over his kicking duties) added a good conversion.

Darlington full-back Ben Snook cut the gap with a 28th minute penalty, but Huddersfield continued to apply the pressure, Mark Whitehead sending Alex Shaw away on a good run down the right wing, and they were soon in the points again, when George Hinchliffe picked up a loose ball from a scrum, and broke clear. Jacobsz carried the move on before popping up a pass to the supporting Joel Hinchliff who scooted in from close range, and then added his own conversion top send his side in 14-3 up at the break.

The signs were looking ominous early in the second half however, when young winger Phil Wilson lost the ball in the tackle and Darlington centre Dean Kelbrick raced 50-odd yards to touch down and when flanker Andy Tonkin barged his way over on 52 minutes the gap was just one point.