HUDDERSFIELD’S Academy moved to the top of the Yorkshire Division II table with a resounding 39-0 win over Roundhegians.
Despite the scoreline, they were made to work hard in the early stages and only led 10-0 at half-time after a penalty from Tom Owen, followed by a converted try from captain and No8 Jack Brannan, who picked up from a ruck to dive over.
The home side were more patient in the second half and this led to reduced errors and more quality possession.
The forwards began to recycle the ball, and hooker Franny Entressengle broke clear just inside the visitors’ half and showed pace and agility to beat a number of defenders before scoring under the posts, Owen adding his second conversion.
Huddersfield generally had too much pace for the visitors, and that was epitomised when winger Chris Brook collected the ball in his own half, outrunning three defenders before neatly stepping inside the full-back to score behind the posts.
Owen again converted but was unable to land one from the touchline after Brad Gorman had scored in the corner following a good break from Tom van Rooyen.
Gorman then blazed in for his second, this time an individual effort, while the final points came from Entressengle who also claimed a second try after breaking clear.
The club’s Under 15s went into the game at York without several key players, which resulted in others having to play in unfamiliar positions, and no substitutes to draw on.
Starved of possession in the early stages, York took full advantage to score a try in the corner after 11 minutes before Huddersfield began to claw their way back.
A super dummy and burst from inside centre Louie Cooper would have resulted in a certain try had the pass to winger Jordan Barrett not been wayward, while outside centre Joseph Graham’s tremendous solo run could have brought greater reward, had there been anyone in support.
Huddersfield began the second half strongly with another Cooper break, but after 10 minutes York lost a front rower and scrums became uncontested which seemed to affect the visitors more than York.
Against the run of play York added a second try, this one converted, to open a 12-0 lead.
The visitors then staged a comeback with No8 Edward Black crashing over in the corner following good work from props Danny Keighley and Joe Scott, and with two minutes left Barrett also went over in the corner to pull the score back to 12-10.
Full-back Adam Sykes went very close to levelling the scores with his attempted conversion from the touchline, but it was not to be.
