Game Week 3 of the new season saw three Yorkshire County derby games, two of which were very close affairs which could have gone either way. Hull Ionians faced league leaders Leeds Tykes at Brantingham Park and the home side had a 27-21 lead at the break. They extended their lead to 34-21 in the 48th minute and were looking good, but in the final 23 minutes the Tykes broke loose and scored three converted tries to win the game in fine style by 49-34. Four tries from the home side gave them a losing bonus point after a highly entertaining game in which the man of the match was the Tykes full-back Charlie Venables who scored a hat-trick of tries.
Sheffield Tigers posted their first league win of the season away at Otley where they led 17-0 at the break and extended that lead to 34-0 by the 58th minute. Otley then decided to take a more prominent part in the encounter and scored four tries in the final 14 minutes, two of which were converted for a final score of 31-25, giving themselves a well-earned losing bonus point that they would not have expected half-way through the second half. The Tigers back-rower Connor Scott was man of the match.
Hull RUFC posted their biggest-ever win at Lockwood Park when they totally outclassed Huddersfield 49-12, despite the home side scoring the first try. A rampant Hull side led 25-5 at the break and continued the pressure on a game home side with four more tries in the second half. Man of the match was Hull’s debutant back-rower Mosese Nasilasila who scored two tries in the 42nd and 49th minutes. This was a fine response to the defeat the previous week against Hull Ionians.
Rotherham Titans swept into a 19-3 half-time lead at home to Lymm where they had a comfortable win by 33-10. The Titans scored five tries which were all converted and they led 33-3 up to the 63rd minute when Lymm scored a converted try. Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier made his debut at scrum-half for the Titans and also scored his first try for them, getting himself the man of the match award.
Newly-promoted Billingham made the long cross-country trip from the east coast to the west to face third-placed Fylde and gave a very good account of themselves before going down by 32-28. This was a typical game of two halves as Fylde led 27-0 at the break and would have expected something of the same in the second half. Billingham had other ideas and hit back in fine style to score four second-half tries to gain both of the bonus points on offer. There would no doubt have been a few ‘Twitchy Bums’ in the Fylde ranks in the final few minutes. In another good game for debutants, the Fylde full-back Sam Carleton scored a hat-trick of tries and was rightly awarded the man of the match honours. Sam is the brother of the famous Tom Carleton who has given opposing sides much to think about in his many years with Fylde.
The clash of the Dalesmen between Tynedale and Wharfedale was a very close affair which ended with the Yorkshiremen winning by 24-22. Tyne where leading 17-12 ahead at the break but Wharfe had the better of the second-half proceedings, although with the score at 22-20 after 71 minutes anything could have happened. This was the case when man of the match and Wharfe hooker Robbie Collinson scored his second try which proved to be the winner for his side.
Finally, Sheffield RUFC handed Preston Grasshoppers their second defeat of the season when they posted a home win by 36-14. They were ahead at the break but dominated the second period with two more converted tries for a very comfortable victory which took them to fourth place in the league table. The Sheffield No8 Ryan Burrows scored two tries and was declared man of the match.
In the league placings Leeds Tykes and Rotherham Titans head the list with 15 and 14 points respectfully and both have their 100% records intact. Fylde are in third place with 13 points. Sheffield RUFC (12), Hull RUFC (11) and Hull Ionians (10) are in hot pursuit. In the nether regions Tynedale, Otley and Lymm have still to win a game but have 4pts, 3pts and 3pts respectively from bonus points. New boys Billingham were dealt a harsh opening first three games which included Rotherham and Fylde, both away, but have beaten Tynedale at home for their 6 league points which include 2 bonus points.
Week 4 games:
Billingham v Sheffield RUFC
Leeds Tykes v Hull RUFC
Lymm v Tynedale
Preston Grasshoppers v Otley
Rotherham v Huddersfield
Sheffield Tigers v Hull Ionians
Wharfedale v Fylde
Ferensian.
Three more Yorkshire County derby games in Week 4. With 9 Yorkshire sides in National Two North someone should prepare a table for National Two Yorkshire as a comparison, a league within a league. Any takers for the task? OK, I will do the job. A nine team unofficial league for Yorkshire clubs only.
THE FERENSIAN UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL DIVISION TWO YORKSHIRE
| Leeds Tykes | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 69 | 3 | 15 |
| Hull RUFC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 106 | 69 | 3 | 11 |
| Hull Ionians | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 103 | 105 | 2 | 10 |
| Sheffield Tigers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 56 | 2 | 6 |
| Sheffield RUFC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 68 | 2 | 6 |
| Rotherham | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 19 | 0 | 4 |
| Otley | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 69 | 94 | 3 | 3 |
| Huddersfield | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 80 | 1 | 1 |
| Wharfedale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 