Ripon 14 YMCA 38(Yorkshire II)RIPON were ripped apart by a spell of fine rugby as YM inflicted a first home defeat of the season on the North Yorkshire side.The Laund Hill side scored 31 points in just 14 minutes to leave the home side in total disarray.A hat trick from Adam Ryder, supported by tries for Tom Sharrock and Gavin Stead, saw YM put Ripon to the sword.The sticky conditions gave every indication they may favour the home side after the match had been switched onto a smaller pitch because the first team field had been declared unfit due to frost.However, no-one had told YM that as they looked to run the ball through the backs at every opportunity. With Tim Horner playing at stand off the tactic was either ship the ball quickly or take on the defence in the centre and Horner played his part in full putting in a great display of handling and strong running which he backed up with some awesome defence.Both Ryder and Chris Beever were both stopped early in the game, but on 15 minutes they took the lead when from the back of the ruck Simon Wilson put in a reverse pass wrong-footing the Ripon defence to allow Tom Sharrock to come onto the ball leaving the back rower a stroll in under the posts. Stead added the first of his five conversions and five minutes later he added a penalty after Ripon were caught offside.Alex Shaw then made a break into space before giving the ball to Stead, who in turn passed to Ryder who drew the man and returned the pass to Stead in open space. The centre cruised over the line and scored under the posts to make his conversion all the easier and extend the lead to 17-0.Four minutes later Ryder got his foot in the door, the winger collecting a Ripon kick and set off out of defence in his own half. He slipped a couple of tackles before finding himself in space. Supported by Stead, the two worked the ball between them to leave the opposition in their wake with Ryder taking the final pass to get the first of his tally.On the next attack, the Stead-Ryder combination struck again. This time the ball was run along the line forcing back the defence. Stead put in a clever kick over the top of the remaining defenders for his winger to chase and the ball bounced perfectly and Ryder was able collect it and run in for a try under the posts. Stead converting for 31-0 half-time lead.From the start of the second half it was clear Ripon were embarking on a damage limitation exercise. Their strength was in the forwards and that is where they kept the ball with long periods spent mauling and making slow progress towards the YM line.They were rewarded with a crash over try from close range from back rower Nicholson, which was converted by stand off Lyons.It was Ryder who again broke the deadlock finishing off a beautifully worked move. This time Tim Horner made the break and he found Karl Sibbons in support and the second rower showed that he has good pace as he continued the run upfield before off-loading a perfectly timed pass to Stead who in turn drew the last of the cover defence to give Ryder his third try.Ripon did score a late consolation from No8 Scott Paul, converted by Lyons, while YM rang the changes, with Ali Lewis coming on for Beever on the wing, Josh Lumb for Mark Lockwood and Kevin Hellawell for Sibbons, who left the field through injury.YMCA: Smith, Ryder, Stead, Shaw, Beever (Lewis 70 mins), Horner, Wilson, Dyke (Ste), Lyons, Lockwood (Lumb 70mins), Dyke (Stu), Sibbons (Hellawell 73mins), Sharrock, Hodge, Walker.(Yorkshire II)Read
