< Back

REPORT - South Wales Scorpions 16 York City Knights 18

Sunday 15th August 2010

South Wales Scorpions secured the bonus point that they needed to go through to the Co-operative Championship 1 play-offs in their very first season when they took on York City Knights on Sunday.

In a tight and tense but exciting game, the Scorpions echoed their Welsh Super League cousins, the Crusaders this week by going down to a last minute penalty to lose 18-16, but it mattered not as celebrations from both sets of fans rung around The Gnoll on the final hooter.

York's win kept them in the hunt to securing third place and a bye in the first round of the play-offs and they took the lead on only three minutes when Chris Thorman opened up a gap for Matthew Duckworth to run through from short range.

Soon after that, the game was stopped for ten minutes following an injury to Scott Woods, son of coach Dave, following a strong tackle. He was taken to hospital but appeared to be fine after the end of the match.

When play resumed, Scorpions gained ground thanks to a Lloyd White 40-20 but Duckworth intercepted a poor pass near to the York line and the chance was lost.

Scorpions thought they'd got a try back on 20 minutes but Jamie Murphy's touchdown was disallowed for a forward pass from Elliot Kear after good work from former Knights man Casey Bromilow. White was held up over the line five minutes later.

Then York had a try disallowed. Thorman's grubber was pounced on well by Duckworth, but it was ruled out for offside.

Scorpions finally got on the board on 27 minutes when Lloyd White kicked a penalty given for a high tackle.

York attempted to get another try but Danny Wilson dropped the ball as he was attempting to out-jump Murphy as they were going for a high lob into the goal area.

And from the next attack, Scorpions took the lead following a good set of six, Andrew Gay broke through the York pack and ran unchallenged to place the ball under the posts. White converted.

But there was still time in the first half for York to get back on the board. Thorman broke through from short range. Waterman missed the conversion but kicked a penalty on the hooter to put them 10-8 up at the interval.

It was a tense start to the second half as both sides refused to give way. Scorpions defence were especially standing firm as they were put under intense pressure. Ryan Esders was forced into dropping the ball as he was close to the line but a Scorpions knock-on gave them the ball back.

Wayne Reittie was short of the line from the next play and Geraint Davies crunched a tackle on Jack Lee to prevent him from scoring.

Then White was given a good chance to level the scores after York were penalised for interference at the play-the-ball but he sliced his penalty wide.

However from the re-start, they went over for a try. Jamie Murphy did well to create it with a good run and Liam Roach finished the job. This time, White's two points were good and Scorpions were 14-10 up.

But York struck back. Thorman created the try with an excellent run and Jack Lee did well to reach out to place the ball over the whitewash. Ratcliffe converted and they were back in front.

The exciting encounter continued as both sides forced goal-line drop-outs, but the attacks were quashed by the outstanding defences on show.

Lloyd White levelled things for Scorpions with four minutes to go after kicking a penalty from 40 metres out but the final word came from York with a minute to go after Danny Ratcliffe did likewise for the visitors to secure the win.

Scorpions coach Anthony Seibold said: "To achieve a play-off position in our first year is an extraordinary feat by the young guys. The most pleasing thing is we've had 24 Welsh born and bred players and another four Welsh qualified who have turned out for us this season. It's an overachievement for us to make the play-offs this season.

"The game could have been a draw. At 16-all we gave away a later penalty, very similar to when we faced York away when Chris Thorman kicked a field-goal to give them a 25-24 win, and similar to the Crusaders on Friday night.

"Us and York are very evenly matched and we could meet again the play-offs. We've one more competition game left now against Hunslet away who like they're going to be the Champions. We go there with nothing to lose and we'll prepare well for the play-offs."

York coach Dave Woods said: "If we do finish third the plan is to give the boys a week off, relax a bit and get away from it. Then they'll be back in and virtually full-time for the finals series. We'll come up with our best 17 then.

"We need to improve on today. We made the game so hard for ourselves with the silly things that we do and we don't need to do that. If we're smart about the game it'd be easier for us but footballers are footballers and that's what we do. We need to get away from the mistakes and we'll make it hard for any team we play."

 

In the Welsh Under 13 Grand Final, the curtain raiser to the main event, Neath Port Talbot Steelers beat Bridgend Blue Bulls 28-24 in a thriller where the lead constantly changed hands. It was so close, the two teams even went in level at half-time 16-16.

Colton Jones scored a brace of tries for the Steelers. Ashley Bradley, Nathan Burbridge, David Davies and Harrison Evans, who converted twice, also went over for the local side.

The Blue Bulls were in the game all the way. Rowan Davies, Reuben Tooze, Gareth Rees-Evans, Ben Jones and Owen Watkin, who also converted twice, were the scorers for the gallant runners-up.

SOUTH WALES SCORPIONS
31. Elliot Kear
14. Jamie Murphy
11. Christiaan Roets
3. Lee Williams
5. Ashley Bateman
37. Casey Bromilow
1. Andrew Gay
24. Liam Roach
33. Lloyd White
10. Gil Dudson
20. Geraint Davies
8. Lewis Mills
13. Aled James
Subs:
7. Steve Parry
12. Neil Dallimore
9. Joe McLocklan
16. Joe Burke

Tries: Gay (33), Roach (60)
Goals: White 4/5

YORK CITY KNIGHTS
1. Danny Ratcliffe
2. Wayne Reittie
29. Ryan Esders
4. Lee Waterman
28. Danny Wilson
6. Chris Thorman
27. Scott Woods
17. Nathan Freer
33. Jack Lee
10. Alex Benson
11. Jordan Ross
18. Matthew Duckworth
15. Luke Hardbottle
Subs:
3. Mike Mitchell
32. Paul Stamp
30. Jack Stearman
36. Calum Dinsdale

Tries: Duckworth (3), Thorman (37), Lee (67)
Goals: Waterman 1/3, Ratcliffe 2/2

Referee: Chris Leatherbarrow
Attendance: 689
Half-time: 8-10