OORUFC Match Report
24th November 2012
OORUFC 15 - 14 Ossett
After last week's brilliant game the supporters were looking for more of the same on a raw misty but calm afternoon,
However it was Ossett who started the stronger pushing 'Ensians into their own half with strong forward play.
'Ensians had one good attack just failing to score after an 80 yards move and then after 10 mins in only their
second foray into Ossett's half, after Sam Featherstone climbed high to get lineout ball from an Ossett throw in,
there followed a great drive by the forwards and the ball was swiftly passed along the backs for winger Tobias
Gill to score an unconverted try far out ,'Ensians taking the lead 5points to nil.
The rest of the first half belonged to the visitors. Play was almost exclusively in the home half with the
Ossett forwards well on top battering the home defence and taking two scrums against the head.
The home team defended valiantly against the powerful and heavier Ossett forwards, even when one player was sin
binned, with Rob Lofthouse and Sam Featherstone prominent and superb tackling by Nathan Rogers, holding the score
at 5 to Nil in 'Ensians favour at half time.
The second half continued in the same vein with the Ossett forwards well in control, camped in the'Ensians
half and it was no surprise when after 5 minutes they scored a pushover converted try giving them a 7 points
to 5 points lead. The match then went through a bad tempered patch resulting in an 'Ensian being yellow carded.
Play continued to be exclusively in the home team's half ,the strong Ossett forwards pushing Ensians back in the scrums,
gaining another scrum against the head and after 19 minutes Ossett scored another converted try making the score 14 points to 5 in their favour.
Thanks to the team spirit 'Ensians have shown this season, in the last 15 minutes they began to stifle the
visitor's attacks with some ferocious tackling and took play into the visitors half. 'Ensians at last
realised that their backs were vastly superior to those of the visitors and on their first attack in the
second half the ball was spun out to Josh Howarth on the wing who had two good runs thwarted only by good
Ossett defence. This was a foretaste of a thrilling last 8 minutes. The score was still 14 to 5 in Ossett's favour,
but the whole Ensians team "Upped" their game, gaining much more ball, and Ossett became more and more anxious
giving away numerous penalties in the process. Firstly 'Ensians forwards drove over the line only for the ball to
be held up, and then Lee O'Donnell crashed through the game line to upset the Ossett defence and the ball was
swiftly passed across the backs for winger Toby Gillett to score a great unconverted try. However the game was
now in 3 minutes injury time when 'Ensians made a telling last minute attack the ball flowing along the backs to
Toby Gillatt who wound his way through the defence to score a brilliant try and to give 'Ensians a thrilling victory .
Their self belief, commitment and fitness were there for all to see in those hectic last few minutes although from
the supporters point of view it was not for those of a weak disposition.
Match report supplied by John Harrison
Click here for match report from Ossett website.
Huddersfield 3rdXV 13 - 8 OORUFC 2ndXV
The second team lost 13 points to 8 points in an Aire/Wharfe Merit match at Huddersfield the scorers being Toby Baltrop [try] and Matt Tenniswood [Penalty Goal]