Huddersfield YMCA gained crucial points in National III North with a 33–32 win over Morley.
With both teams hovering in the lower reaches of the division and desperate for points it could have been a nervous encounter – but not a bit of it!
It was a high speed, full-on 10-try encounter in which both teams played their part.
Although YMCA came away with the win and five valuable points, the visitors could have snatched the spoils in the dying minutes after wing Tom Clough touched down wide out to bring the visitors within a point of the home team, but Morley full-back Stevenson’s conversion attempt drifted wide of the uprights to the relief of the home team.
From the start Morley got their pacey backs into the game at every opportunity and in the third minute the visitors took the lead when lock Ollie Flegg charged through the home defence to score by the posts and Stevenson added the goal.
The visitors increased their lead four minutes later when Stevenson slotted over a penalty after YMCA stand off Chris Clarke was yellow carded for an off the ball incident.
On 10 minutes, with the YM in disarray, Morley again punished the home team from a line out near the YMCA line the visitors stand off Chester gave Clough the easiest of run-ins to the corner, but Stevenson missed the kick.
A shell-shocked home team kicked off but it wasn’t long before the Morley backs scored again.
From inside his their own half Morley moved the ball wide with Stevenson touching down in the corner, he failed to convert his own try but the visitors now led 20-0 after only 20 minutes play.
The home pack finally got to grips with the task in hand and YMCA gradually started to get themselves back into the game.
From a forward drive which took the YMCA to the post a try seemed certain only for Stevenson to prevent the try by illegally handling the ball.
Stevenson was dispatched to the sin-bin, but the home side were not to be denied as a quick tap from the resulting penalty saw Chris Clarke score wide out.
Gavin Stead was unable to add the extras but YMCA were back in the game.
The Morley pack was under intense pressure but their backs were still intent on running the ball at every opportunity, but unfortunately for them this led to the next YMCA score as Ed Barber intercepted on halfway and had enough pace to beat the defence to score and Stead tagged on the extras.
On 35 minutes Adrian Watson and Chris Bell drove deep into the visitors half, before the ball was recycled to Barber and he kicked through and Stead gathered to crashed over.
Stead converted his own try to bring the YM to within a point of the visitors and on the stroke of half-time YMCA went into the lead for the first time.
A wayward kick out of defence by Morley was fielded by Stead who put the ball high into the air and was subsequently obstructed as he followed up his kick.
The ball having landed on the visitors five-metre line and YMCA opted for a scrum – five reset scrums later the referee had no choice but to award the YM a penalty try under the posts which Stead converted to give the home side a 26–20 half-time lead.
The second period started much as the first half had finished with the home team seemingly well on top and it only seemed a matter of time before they increased their lead.
The score duly arrived when good work by Barber and Ryder put Stead over in the corner and Stead converted from the touchline.
However, Morley scored two further try’s to bring the game to a nerve jangling finale.
Chris Mason, the Morley stand off, ghosted through the home defence to score and Stevenson converted to bring Morley back to within six points.
Morley then got their final chance to gain a vital win as wing Clough evaded the scrambling home defence to score out wide, but the kick was missed.
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YMCA: Fletcher; Bullock, Ryder, Barber, Stead; Clarke, Willans; Moore, Murphy, Dyke, Bell, Housley, Hill, Whitehead, Lumb. Subs(all used) Hodge, Robertson, Watson.
