OORUFC Match Report
25th January 2025
OORUFC 56 vs 7 West Park Leeds
Ensians reach the Silver Trophy Final
Prior to the commencement of the match a one minute silence was held in memory of Club former player and stalwart Billy Bradford who had been connected with the club for over 60 years.
It was a cold winter’s afternoon with a strong wind straight down a pitch in remarkably good condition. The Hosts were expecting a keen game after the close game at Bramhope earlier in the season.
The Visitors took advantage of the wind and set about putting the Home team under the cosh straight from the kick off .Sound defence held the line but after 7 minutes ‘Ensians drove up to the half way line and when Will Howarth was passed the ball just in from touch he beat the defence with a scintillating run to score between the posts converted by Jake Bentley (JB).
Three minutes later the home team won a lineout “against the head”,opened out the ball and Will Cooper crashed over to score again converted by J.B.
After another three minutes a penalty gained good ground and from the resulting lineout the Home team opened the ball out and JB sidestepped two defenders to score and convert his own try.
However not to be outdone Park used their speedy backs cleverly to create an overlap and score a try wide out beautifully converted to make the score 21 points to 7 .The Visitors pack was doing well and they elected to take a scrum when awarded a penalty to give their backs more opportunity but the home defence held them out.
However after 28 minutes JB made a super break and skipper Luke Exley made great yards for Alec Gillson to score and JB duly converted.
Park were in the attack for the rest of the half but try as they may they could they were unable to break the outstanding ‘Ensian tackling by the whole team with Josh Howarth and Jay Walsh to the fore.
The second half started with the score 28 points to 7 in favour of the Hosts. Again the Visitors started with a flourish and only stout defence by every ‘Ensian held them out. The tide turned when from a scrum the ball was slipped to Josh Howarth who screamed down the wing and passed inside for Luke Cowdell to score a fine try converted by Will Cooper. Play was neutral for the next ten minutes but then from a scrum Olly Eaves slipped a sublime scissors pass to JB who made good ground for Luke Cowdell to score converted by JB. This was followed by a try by Will Howarth who bamboozled the Park defence to score beneath the posts converted by JB.
West Park came back and stretched the Home defence but after 25 minutes ‘Ensians completed the scoring when a dropped pass by Park in the Home half was kicked ahead by Will Cooper ,picked up by Will Howarth who passed to Syd Dojahn-Wood to score again converted by JB making a final score of 56 points to 7 to put ’Ensians into The Silver Trophy Final in May against Wheatley Hills.
There were two interesting points - Despite the strong wind and some scores wide out all 9 tries were converted and of the starting 15 for ‘Ensians 12 were old scholars of P.H.G.S—a truly old boys team.
Report:John Churchman