OORUFC Match Report
9th May 2026
OORUFC 88 vs 19 Northallerton
Yorkshire Silver Trophy Final
League Champions for the 3rd season in a row and now Silver trophy holders for the second
Last Saturday Otliensians’ Jake Bentley lifted the Yorkshire Silver Trophy after the boys defeated Northallerton by 88 points to 19.
The frustrations of the previous weeks ‘home walk over’, when Halifax Vandals failed to raise a team, were soon forgotten when at least 100 supporters made their way to Harrogate RUFC for the Yorkshire Silver Trophy final. Harrogate graciously offered their ground as a neutral venue.
Having beaten the North Yorkshire boys twice already this season, League Champions Otliensians approached the game with confidence.
Northallerton opened the scoring with an unconverted try thanks to their formidable rolling maul. Ensians soon responded when Luke Cowdell gathered a poor clearance kick. He bashed his way 50m upfield before passing out wide to full back Will Cooper. Coops sent a deft grubber through the gap for winger Isaac Gillson to chase. Gillson won the race and dived over the line to ground the ball in the corner.
Another score soon followed. Once again Cowdell gathered a poor kick and made his way up field before releasing inside centre Jake Bentley. With men in support and one man to beat Bentley dummied left, before stepping back inside to score under the posts. His conversion took the score to 12:5, with just 15 minutes played. North countered with a converted try minutes later. It was clear if Northallerton’s forwards were in possession anywhere near the try line, it was like trying to stop a determined herd of cows. In the same vain North were already wary of the pace and skill of Ensians backs. Able to break from their own try line.
It was young Gillson who scored the next for Ensians. Following some good pressure from North, Ensians were on the back foot, but rather than clearing for touch they backed themselves and spun the ball wide. Gillson raced 60m, wrong footing two men on the way to score under the posts. Northallerton were clearly frustrated as the flood gates opened and Ensians ran in another three tries before half time. The next from a kick expertly gathered by Coops. He ran 20 m before passing inside to top try scorer Will Howarth. It was probably Wills first touch of the match and there was no chance he was being caught. The second from fly half Ollie Eaves and just before half time Gillson ran in his 3rd taking the score to 38:12.
From the restart Ensians steadily took play down field towards North’s line. The ball passed through many pairs of hands before it found Howarth on the wing. He darted 20m passing two irate defenders to score an unconverted try in the corner. From the restart another try quickly followed. Skilful handling on Ensians 22, saw the ball reach Cowdell. He set off determined to reach the line. With Isaac in support perhaps a pass wide might have been the sensible option, but instead he stepped and jinked back into the centre of the pitch, eventually dragged down just yards short. Luckily centre Harry Wales was in support to complete the move and score under the posts. The converted try took the score to 50:12. Once again North restarted the game only to find a wall of blue shirts charging back at them. A fine pass from Coops released substitute winger Connor Bateman. Bateman looked like he was walking on air as he cruised the fifty metres to the line. The successful conversion took Ensians tally to 57. With their heads down, North looked like they’d had enough. They were however rewarded with a consolation try mid way through the half, when once again their big forwards bustled their way over the line. The conversion took their tally to 19 points.
Following this score the North boys rallied and with a line-out 5m out, perhaps they could increase their account, but once again Ensians stymied their ambitions. Regaining possession Ensians replacement scrum half Rob Lofthouse passed out to Will Cooper. Coops made 10 yards before passing right to Bateman. Another 10 yards and back to Coops for the long race to the line. He was caught by North’s fullback, but momentum dragged him over the line, taking the score to 62:19. Once more Northallerton reluctantly kicked off, thus handing possession back to Ensians. Initially Jake Bentley broke the line and took play to the halfway line, before passing wide to Howarth. With little space on the wing, Howarth cut back inside and almost made it to the line. The quickly recycled ball was passed out wide to Cowdell. At just 15m out, the writing was 'on the wall’. Cowdell wasn’t going to pass and he wasn’t being stopped. Bentley's conversion increased Ensians balance to 69.
For the next few minutes North asserted some good pressure and made it into Ensians ’22. With a scrum on their 5m line, Ensians once again declined the safety kick for touch and passed the ball from behind their own line. Still under his own posts Isaac Gillson set off in search of his 4th. Initially running with two hands on the ball North’s defence couldn’t predict if he was passing left or right, by the time he reached the half way line, he pinned back his ears and with the ball now in one hand, dashed for the line to score what was arguably the try of the day. Moments later flanker and older brother Noel made a break before passing to club veteran John Offer who scored to the cheers of his team mates. Having stood under the posts a dozen times already North’s big forwards were surely wishing to hear the final whistle.
To rub salt in their wounds in the last minute of play, speed merchant Howarth skirted down the left wing to score in his usual style and closed the match at 88 points to 19.
What a win and what a season!
League Champions for the 3rd season in a row and now Silver trophy holders for the second.
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