Knaresborough II XV Versus Burley II XV
1st March 2008
1 Pete Shaw 2 Peter Leeman 3 Matt Morgan
4 Alex Gerrard 5 Andy Taylor
6 Aaron Ralph 7 Elliot Viles 8 Jim Griffin
9 Jonny Baker
10 Tim Betts
11 Andy Jones 12 Gavin Leeman 13 Will Broomfield 14 Ian Anderson
15 Paul Wheeler
The Bench
16 Kenny Parsons 17 Jon Bowskill 18 Karl Heywood 19 Simon Richardson 20 Frasier Stuart
Burley travelled over to Knaresborough with great belief that this was going to be their day. The visitors lost the toss and the home side opted to play the first half up the hill. The game got off to a great start as Burley's number ten Tim Betts started the game with a low grubber kick off finding touch from a Knaresborough player's knee. The home side won the line out but soon had the ball stripped from them by Burley's veteran hooker Pete Leeman. The ball was spread to the backs allowing centre Gav Leeman to go on a great run, passing on to winger Andy Jones (who was celebrating St David's day) and then to back rower Aaron Ralph who dived over the line giving Burley the first points of the afternoon. Tim Betts was faced with a challenging kick from very near the side line in very windy conditions, but, sure enough, Tim added the extras.
Knaresborough were determined not to let us get the better of them so early on in the game but unfortunately all they had in store for us was a massive screaming number five who ran into a tackle with what can only be described as a high pitch war cry soon to find himself laid flat out after a big hit from centre Will Broomfield, prop forward Matt Morgan and second rower Alex Gerrard.
It wasn't long before Burley got on the score sheet again, as Paul Wheeler at full back collected the kick off and drove the ball in well. Elliot Viles trying his hand at flanker followed it up well also drove in a great ball. There was rough and tumble, the ball came out and went straight back in under control from second rower Alex Gerrard. Eventually the other second rower Andy Taylor broke away, beat two Knaresborough men and showed great pace out sprinting the home side's winger and full back and then touching down under the sticks to collect Burley's second try of the afternoon and Andy's first of the season (well done, Andy).
The game restarted and the ball was straight away knocked on. The Burley scrum was formed and the Burley props Matt Morgan (man of the match) and Pete Shaw held a very steady scrum against some much bigger front rowers. The ball was picked up from the back by number eight Jim Griffin and driven to the ground creating gaps in the field with the Knaresborough backs having to help a tired pack. Centre Will Broomfield took advantage of the gaps and ran almost full length of the field scoring a fantastic try to put Burley 17-0 in front. Tim added the extras making the score line 19-0 at half time
Burley only made the one change at half time bringing to the field winger Simon Richardson in replacement for Dr Ian Anderson. Simon took no time at all getting involved with some great running and helping out the forwards knocking backwards the home pack. The referee desperate to get the home side back into the game, giving them a lot of penalties for some very questionable reasons. Unfortunately skipper Jim Griffin mistimed a tackle clearly hitting the home number eight high and giving away a penalty only five metres out. The ball was run in hard and a despite massive effort the Burley lads couldn't prevent the big second rower from crossing the whitewash.
More substitutions were made by the visitors. Elliot Viles made way for Burley's very own Frank Gallagher, Kenny Parsons, Andy Jones took a well deserved rest for Karl Haywood and Gav Leeman made room for Frasier Stuart. Burley's fresh legged heroes soon made a difference, Kenny Parsons assisting a great tackle from scrum half Jonny Baker, Karl Haywood positioning himself well to take some high balls and run them in fast and hard, and Frasier being his usual menacing self with good strong runs and stopping runners with some great text book tackling.
The men in maroon were still eager to get that fourth try. A kick tap penalty from Pete Leeman giving the ball to number eight Jim Griffin who ran the ball in well shaking off a number of tacklers before eventually being taken to ground. The ball came out and scrum half Jonny Baker added the yards made with a great run heading towards the left wing where waiting was new addition to the field Jon Bowskill who couldn't quite get his hands to a very wind controlled ball that came from the back door of a well formed ruck.
The game finished up 5-19 to Burley and a very good game was enjoyed by every player on the field.
J.Griffin