Harrogate Pythons RUFC reclaim top spot after Yarnbury RFC success

Dan Bird’s team moved three points clear of title rivals Wensleydale – albeit having played one game more – and have now opened up a 15-point gap between themselves and third-placed Baildon.

The men from Station View made a fast start to Saturday’s contest, taking the lead inside three minutes.

Jack Hall turned the ball over, allowing scrum-half Gareth Drane to bring the home back line into the game. Jed Carr then beat his man before feeding Max Sharp, who released Joe Bentham to sprint over from 30 metres out. Carr added the extras for 7-0.

The hosts’ advantage was doubled moments later as a huge Yarnbuy clearance was gathered by full-back Sam Considine, who used his pace to carve through the midfield then put Bailey Bromberg into space to touchdown. Carr converted again to make the score 14-0.

‘Gate continued to turn the screw, forcing their visitors to concede a penalty, from which Carr pinned them in on their five-metre line. Clean line-out ball was then secured, with George Booth setting things up before Drane flighted a perfectly-weighted pass to James Audsley-Beck, who beat two defenders and touched down.

Nineteen points ahead by the 10th minute, the Pythons kept on coming. And, with Yarnbury reeling, the home team stretched their advantage to 26 points and secured a four-try bonus point when Audsley-Beck romped over just before the midway point of the opening period.

The visitors then went on to enjoy a decent spell in the ascendancy and a period of pressure saw a ‘Gate man sin-binned and a couple of converted tries narrow the deficit to 26-14 before half-time.

A third touchdown led to Yarnbury moving within striking distance of their hosts at 26-19, however Carr kicked a penalty goal to hand the Pythons a 10-point cushion and they were able to see the game out from that point.

After the final whistle, John Riley, president of the Yorkshire RFU, awarded the Whitaker’s Gin man of the match award to Audsley-Beck.

This Saturday, Bird and his men host sixth-placed Leeds Corinthians at the Jim Saynor Ground.