Yarnbury sign off with a defeat at Heath

THIS was the final league game of the season and with both teams safe in Yorkshire One the pressure was finally off as they faced each other on a tight pitch at Halifax.

Heath are stronger this season, particularly in the pack, and their big forwards kept Yarnbury under pressure at the scrums and disrupting the service to the backs.

Wingers Graham Maycock and Lee Mortimer were tackled short of the line and Heath relieved the pressure with high kicks and a quick chase.

Yarnbury had the versatile Scott Benton in the centre and captain Oliver Cashman in his usual scrum half spot.

Dom Manfredi made a welcome return to the squad as the replacement front row. With their kicking a little wayward and their own line-out ball lost on several occasions, the attacking threat from Yarnbury was limited.

Heath’s early tries came directly from Yarnbury mistakes. Prop Oliver Cook crashed over from close in and centre Ezra Hinchliffe chased up a kick.

At 10-0 the game was still there for Yarnbury but they again allowed Heath to score another try, Hinchliffe’s conversion extending the lead to 17-0.

The second half followed a similar pattern with the Horsforth side unable to get enough of the ball and Heath’s forwards were making ground consistently.

Centre Hinchliffe was a threat and scored his second try and Heath’s fourth.

Yarnbury looked to be staring a big defeat in the face but they showed character to hit back with tries from left winger Ellis Gomersall and second row James Falgate. Kieran Davies landed the second conversion.

Second row Matt Beasty scored from a rolling maul to round off a good day for the home side. The defeat gave Yarnbury a wake up ahead of their Yorkshire Shield fixture against Keighley at Brownberrie Lane next Wednesday.