Ripon RUFC suffer heavy Yorkshire One defeat on the road at Yarnbury RFC

Ripon RUFC 1st XV were unable to record a third consecutive Yorkshire Two victory when they travelled to Yarnbury on Saturday afternoon, suffering a 50-21 defeat. Picture: Submitted

After back-to-back victories, Ripon RUFC suffered a heavy defeat when they travelled to Yarnbury.

The Blues had recorded positive results in their previous couple of Yorkshire Two outings against Bramley Phoenix and Roundhegians, but ended up on the wrong end of a 50-21 score-line on Saturday afternoon.

Despite having to make nine changes to their starting XI, the men from Mallorie Park produced a composed display, fared well in the set-piece and established numerous territorial advantages.

But they were undone by an opportunist Yarnbury side, who played fast and loose off the back foot, offloaded well and managed to run in seven tries.

The first score of the contest would however go the way of Ripon, a scrum on the home 22 providing Hooley with the opportunity to touch down for a 5-0 lead.

Yarnbury got back on level terms soon afterwards and, having found some rhythm, added two more tries, one of which was converted, to establish a 19-5 advantage.

At this stage, the Blues had begun to look a little shaken, but they regrouped, stemmed the flow and managed to narrow the gap before the interval, with Mikey Bray kicking a couple of penalty goals to make it 19-11.

The second half started with the visiting side giving away a number of penalties, one of which saw Thompson sin-binned and the hosts land a shot at goal for 22-11.

On 59 minutes, Yarnbury ran in a converted try before Ripon were reduced to 13 men with the loss of Wood, yellow-carded for an early tackle.

Two more touchdowns and a conversion saw the home lead grow significantly to 43-11.

Although the game was already out of their reach, the Blues finished strongly. Wood, then Thompson made ground and fed Evans, who steamed up the middle and slipped the sweetest offload for Newcombe to go over for Ripon’s second try.

Yarnbury immediately hit back with another try, though it was the visitors who had the final say, Veitch crossing the whitewash following a 30-metre dash up the touchline.

That result sees the Blues slip down to eighth place in the Yorkshire Two standings.

This Saturday, they entertain league leaders Wath-Upon-Dearne at Mallorie Park.