W 22 - 40

By Dave Campbell

Scarborough turned in perhaps their best performance of the season running in six tries in a high-scoring bonus-point win at Middlesbrough. However, the gloss was taken off a successful afternoon for the Seasiders with two sending’s-off and a yellow card which left them to play the latter part of the game with only twelve men.

Following an overcast morning on Teeside the game kicked off in warm autumnal sunshine and it took the visitors only four minutes to carry on the free scoring form they have shown this season, Flanker Drew Govier powering over and fly-half Tom Harrison converting for a 7-0 lead.

Intelligent line kicking by Harrison took Scarborough into the home 22 and from a catch and drive at an attacking lineout, hooker Sam Dawson barged over in the 8^th minute. Harrison added the extras for 14-0.

Both sides looked to play with ball in hand and in an exciting first quarter Middlesbrough’s No8 Liam Wilson reduced the arrears crossing following an 18^th minute lineout. Much of the midfield play from both sides lacked a certain amount of structure and consequently a score to either always seemed to be on from open play. However the next try came from a Middlesbrough tap penalty inside the Scarborough 22; centre Peter Homan scampering over for 10-14 in the 25^th minute.

The action continued at a high tempo with Scarborough’s slick back division always looking dangerous; and when a stray midfield pass by the home side found the hands of Jordi Wakeham, the Scarborough scrum-half surged up the right touchline and made it to the line despite the attentions of Middlesbrough fullback Matthew Todd for a 19-10 lead in the 38^th minute.

Not for the first time this season, the Seasiders bagged a bonus point before half-time when centre Tom Ratcliffe spotted a gap and glided through it to touch down. Harrison stroked over the conversion for a 26-10 half time lead.

Middlesbrough took the initiative from the restart knowing that the first score of the half would be vital and turned the screw in the visitors’ 22. Calm Scarborough heads prevailed and good work by the ever industrious Aaron Wilson, Matty Jones and an assured Tom Harrison saw to it that the storm was weathered. And they got their reward in the 51^st minute when Ratcliffe released winger Harry Domett to power over; Harrison converted for 33-10.

‘Keep our composure from here on in and we’re home and dry’ was the opinion of the Scarborough supporters on the sidelines.  It wasn’t to be however; as Redcar referee Andy Hogson dismissed Dawson for a retaliatory punch reportedly aimed at a player on the ground following a ruck in the 54^th minute.

It took only a minute for Middlesbrough to take advantage of their numerical superiority when they moved the ball wide from a scrum in the visitors 22 and wingman Sean Maloney grounded in the corner reducing the arrears to eighteen points at 15-33.

An absorbing final quarter ensued with no little skill and commitment being shown by both sides as the local Boro’ boys tried to wear down the fourteen Seasiders who mounted a stirring rearguard action. However, the stuffing was knocked out of the Teesiders when flanker Aaron Wilson capped a terrific performance thundering over in the 71^st minute. Harrison’s metronomic consistency continued and his kick stretched the Scarborough lead to 40-15.

Following a superb late try by Boro’ winger Rhys Kilbride (easily the fastest man on the paddock) converted by fly-half Andrew Baggett to reduce the arrears at 40-22, the game ended with a flurry of cards. A Middlesbrough player was dismissed for a spear tackle, Scarborough’s Nino Cutino for retaliation and Jordi Wakeham sin-binned for a professional foul.

Another memorable bonus-point win for Coach Simon Smith’s charges. Set pieces continue to improve and the lineout was very productive in this game. Matty Jones and Aaron Wilson were outstanding in the pack with Tom Harrison and Billy Parker the pick of the backs.

Scarborough

Tries: govier, dawson, wakeham, ratcliffe, domett, wilson

Conversions: harrison 5

Middlesbrough

Tries: wilson, homan, maloney, kilbride

Conversions: baggett

Teams

Scarborough: perrett domett ratcliffe parker holloway harrison wakeham cutino dawson jones (capt) oxtoby watson wilson govier
Substitutes: mikey whitton, euan govier and paul white

Middlesbrough: todd moloney homan kilbride bellerby baggett seymour lynas hoare clarke marron colvin kay wade wilson
Substitutes: bircham helm lonsdale

Scarborough News "Man of the Match": matthew jones

There were several candidates for man of the match in this game with Aaron Wilson and Tom Harrison in top form. However, for his leadership in a difficult game and organization of his depleted resources including personally replacing hooker Sam Dawson, the big Kiwi prop took the majority of the plaudits.