Huddersfield RU 25

Caldy 26

(National II North)

AN injury-time penalty robbedHuddersfield of a notable scalp after a titanic tussle with one of the League’s best teams at Lockwood Park on Saturday.

On a day more akin to high-summer cricket than rugby, coach Dan Hyde’s team went head-to-head with a very good Caldy side, and but for the unerring boot of Richard Vasey would have come out of it with one of their best-ever League victories.

If points had been measured by the pounds of sweat shed, then a home win would surely have been theirs, for all 19 of Huddersfield’s players put their bodies on the line in a game which could have gone either way right up until the fourth-minute of extra time.

And no-one worked harder than stand-off Chris Johnson, who notched all Field’s 25 points with a try, a conversion, five penalties and a glorious drop goal which looked to have settled the battle with just four minutes of normal time remaining.

Sadly for the home supporters it was not to be, as referee Will Halford gave Caldy a rather harshly-awarded penalty just inside Huddersfield’s half in stoppage time, and Vasey – who each season vies with Johnson as the League’s leading scorer – landed the three-pointer with no more than a metre to spare as it scraped over the crossbar.

An early Johnson penalty gave his side the lead, only for Caldy to hit back with a try for winger Liam Devaney, who took advantage of some shoddy tackling, Vasey adding the extras.

But then Johnson lit up the game with a brilliant solo effort after getting the ball just inside Caldy’s 22, before jinking his way left and right through the defence with barely a hand on him to score a super try, which he also converted.

Johnson and Vasey swapped two more penalties apiece, as Huddersfield looked set to reach the interval at 16-13, only for Caldy’s very quick backs to exploit another gap in the home defence and centre Gavin Roberts had a clear run to the line for a converted try leaving the visitors 20-16 ahead at the half-time whistle.

Huddersfield opened the second period in great fashion, second rower Gavin Rhodes’ powerful run setting up a fourth penalty for Johnson, and then the No10 sent hooker Ben Morrill charging away on the break, which, had he had support, would almost certainly have yielded another seven points, but the ball was knocked forward in the ensuing tackle and the chance was gone.

Francis Entressengle replaced lively flanker Ben Hoyle who picked up a second bang on an already broken nose, while James Davies replaced George Hinchliff before Johnson added a fifth penalty to edge his side back in front once more at 22-20.

Gareth Lewis and Joel Hinchliffe were replaced by Hyde and Chris Duffy to provide some fresh legs in the searing heat before a touchline penalty from Vasey again sneaked a one-point lead for the visitors.

With less than five minutes of normal time remaining, Huddersfield’s tireless pack again drove Caldy back into their own half and, when the ball was whipped back into the ‘pocket,’ there was Johnson to rifle over a splendid drop goal which looked to have sealed a thrilling win – but sadly it was not to be as Caldy were handed a last-gasp ‘get-out’ and Vasey made no mistake.

Huddersfield: Andrews; Sutcliffe, Owen, L Paxman, Clark; Johnson, Hinchliffe; Battye, Morrill, Stringwell, Hinchliff, Rhodes, Lewis, Hoyle, Sharpe. Subs: Entressengle (51), Davies (51), Hyde (60), Duffy (60).

Caldy: M Roberts; Souther, G Roberts, Woof, Devaney, Vasey, Broxson, Parker, Rylance, Salisbury, Collister, King, Swell, Aigbokhae, Dickinson. Subs: Doolan, Dowridge, Rowlands, Smith.

Referee: Will Halford (Northumberland).