The last league weekend of 2024 in N2N produced a full programme of local derbies, some very entertaining and close contests and some exceptionally large attendances, proving there is nothing to beat a Christmas derby match.
The first two fixtures were played on Friday night beginning with Sheffield RUFC at home to Sheffield Tigers, which the home side won by 17-12 after leading by 10-9 at the break. Sheffield scored two tries from Ryan Burrows and Archie Crapper while Elliot Fisher kicked two conversions and one penalty goal. The Tigers owed all their points to the reliable Mark Ireland who landed four penalties. Archie Crapper was selected as the M-o-M. Attendance 2125.
The second Friday night game was at the Leeds Rhino’s Headingly Stadium (the Tykes original home) where Otley were the visitors. Otley gave the Tykes a hard time during the first half and were trailing by just 12-10 at the break, but the league leaders scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to win the game by 33-10. Try-scorers for Leeds were Chitiyo, Venables, Brown (2) and Williams. Watts and Turagabeci both landed two conversions. Jackson scored Otley’s only try, converted by Crossland and Rowntree kicked a penalty goal. Ben Dixon, the Tykes centre, took the M-o-M award. Attendance 680.
The fixture between Hull Ionians and Hull RUFC was really a game of two halves with Hull building up a lead of 22-7 by half-time with tries from Adlard, Dawkins and Faraimo, plus two conversions from Hobson, who also landed a penalty goal. Ionians crossed for one try from Minikin who also converted it. Hull continued their early dominance in the second half with tries from Astley and Heard, one of which Hobson converted, and after 49 minutes they had a 34-10 lead.
The home side then staged a remarkable come-back with tries from Powell, Minikin, and Burnhill, two of which Minikin converted, along with his penalty goal in the 52nd minute. Hobson then landed a penalty goal for Hull in the 73rd minute before a moment of high drama saw Ionians awarded a penalty try in the 79th minute making the score 37-36 to Hull. Hull regained possession of the ball from the re-start to end a fantastic afternoon’s rugby. The Ionians No8 George Mewburn took the M-o-M award and Hull celebrated their third consecutive victory at Brantingham Park on their last three visits there. Attendance 805.
In a very evenly contested game at Wharfedale the home side were given a hard time by visitors Harrogate in the first half as they took a 12-10 interval lead before Wharfe won the game 18-15. Wharfe scored tries from Bullock, Stockdale and Cocognini, one of which was converted by Hamilton. Gate’s scorers were Green and Percival while Toomey landed one conversion and one penalty goal. The Wharfe prop Sam Dickinson was awarded the M-o-M honours. Attendance 610.
In the North-East derby at Billingham the home side went down 26-25 after the first half ended at 7-7. Tyne scored four tries to Billingham’s three from Richards (2), Haigh and Roberts, with three converted by Rogers. Billingham’s try scorers were Scarborough and Wilson, while their fly-half Evans landed two conversions, one penalty goal and one drop-goal and in the final minute of the game, another drop-goal attempt from him hit the cross-bar to deny his side a late match-winner. The Tyne flanker Owen Vassallo was the M-o-M. Attendance 541.
Second placed Lymm entertained Chester at their Crouch Lane ground in the Cheshire derby and posted a 52-26 victory after leading 20-14 at the break. They scored seven tries to Chester’s four from Beesley (2), Pitcher, Wadsworth, Makin, Hand and McEachran. Tom Shard, the Lymm fly-half was in fine form from the kicking-tee landing four conversions and three penalties which went a long way to him picking up the M-o-M award. The Chester scorers were Ellis, Furnival, Harrop and Kershaw with three conversions from Rogers. Attendance 365.
Finally Preston Grasshoppers were no match for visitors Fylde who won the game by 38-12 after leading 19-7 at the interval. Their tries came from Boowker, Garrod, Walton (2), Quinn and Gould, with Bishop converting four of them. This was the fifth consecutive defeat for the Hoppers whose tries came from Browne and Richardson, with Smith converting the first try. The Fylde lock Mike Walton was the M-o-M. Attendance 1203.
Leeds Tykes are league leaders once again but only on points scoring difference over Lymm, with both sides on 65 points. Sheffield RUFC are now third on 64 points followed by Fylde on 47. At the other end Hull RUFC have moved up from 12th to 10th on 29 points. The bottom four are now Hoppers on 28 points, Sheffield Tigers have 26, Harrogate have 22 and Billingham have 19.
There are now no more N2N fixtures until January 11th 2025 so may I wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and New Year?
Wherever you are enjoy your rugby.
Ferensian.
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 