Huddersfield YMCA secured an impressive 32-10 win over Rossendale in a re-arranged National League Three North encounter at Laund Hill.
The last time the teams met the YM were sent packing with their tails between their legs as they were out-thought and out-muscled by Rossendale’s big pack.
But on Saturday things started well and the YM took the lead after forcing a line-out deep in Rossendale territory.
Housley took the ball cleanly and the forwards piled in to set up a perfectly-executed maul which resulted in Mark Whitehead claiming a try which Stead quickly converted to give the home side a seven-point lead.
The advantage was quickly under threat when, minutes later, Whitehead was yellow-carded for being offside and Rossendale set up an almost identical catch-and-drive scenario close to the YM line.
Their influential number eight McKibben went over to put his side back in contention. Bramhall was again adrift with his shot at goal and 14-man YM led 7-5.
The game was frequently punctuated by the referee’s whistle after both sides were guilty of clumsy handling errors and forward passes, which gave the YM pack an opportunity to gain revenge for their hammering over at Rossendale earlier in the season.
And gain revenge they did. They had the visitors in all sorts of trouble in the tight and relying heavily on McKibben’s skill at the back of the scrum to get them out of trouble time and again.
Further pressure led to a penalty to the YM for the visitors being offside, which Stead struck sweetly to stretch the YM lead to 10-5.
There was just time for Stu Dyke and his Rossendale opposite number to get 10 minutes in the bin after a difference of opinion led to tempers becoming frayed before the referee blew for half time.
From the restart a couple of basic errors cost the YM possession and territory and McKibben got himself on the scoreboard again for Rossendale after he followed up a neat chip over the defence into space and was the first man to get to the ball and carry it over for the score.
Bramhall was once again wide of the mark with the conversion but the visitors had now got back on level terms and it was game on again at 10-10.
As the game progressed the visitors’ big pack were feeling the pace, walking to breakdowns and set pieces and the YM pitch looked as though it had taken its toll.
After a strong period on attack the YM were starting to exert their influence and when they were awarded a scrum they drove the visitors back, allowing Wilson time to pick his moment to set the backs in motion.
He neatly fed the ball out on the blind side to Barber, who brought his presence to bear by pulling in tacklers and leaving space for Adam Ryder to take the pass and scorch through the remaining defenders for a well-worked try.
Stead couldn’t manage the conversion from wide out but once again the YM had their noses in front at 15-10.
More of the same followed, resulting in a YM scrum close to the Rossendale line.
The subsequent drive had the visitors in every kind of trouble, with the referee giving them the benefit of the doubt after the first scrum and allowing the scrum to reset.
Once again the YM drive was outstanding and the Rossendale front row came up in an effort to illegally thwart the scrum. This time the referee had no hesitation and awarded the YM a penalty try under the posts. Stead added the extras to take the score to 22-10.
A well-struck penalty from Stead minutes later left the visitors with a mountain to climb.
The Ross men came back into the game and battered away at the YM line, but the defence stood firm and managed to keep them out before play swung back in favour of the gome side and left them close to the visitors’ line, at which point they were awarded another scrum.
The forwards controlled it perfectly, with due credit going to number eight Josh Lumb, who had a very solid game at the back of the scrum.
Wilson waited for his moment and with the Rossendale pack at sixes and sevens he picked the ball up and darted over the line without his opposite number laying a hand on him.
Stead was on hand to put the icing on the cake and Wilson’s try gave the YM a valuable bonus point.
This was a much better performance against a team whose forwards have often been dominant. Five league points will do the YM cause no harm at all.
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Huddersfield YMCA: Fletcher, Stead, Bullock, Wilson, Clarke, Barber, Ryder, Dyke, Murphy, Moore, Housley, Bell, Whitehead, Hill, Lumb. Subs (all used): Watson, Robertson, Hodge.
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Huddersfield RUFC’s winning run finally came to an end after a disappointing 25-21 defeat at Broadstreet. Report in Tuesday’s Examiner Sport.
