Rugby: Hat-trick isn't enough for Dinnington
A HAT-TRICK of tries from Will Marshall was not enough to help Dinnington avoid defeat in this close game.
YORKSHIRE ONE
York 24
Dinnington 20
To make matters worse, as Dinnington were losing to York, three of the teams below them in the division were all recording unexpected victories.
After the disappointing performance the previous week against Malton, it was good to see Dinnington back to something like their best, as there was clear cohesion in all their play.
They took an early dominance in the scrums that they held all game and even the line-out, so often an area of hit and miss, worked well.
York took an early lead with an unconverted try, when they went down the blindside following a catch and drive at a line-out after seven minutes but Dinnington were straight back at them.
Pressure from the visitors put the home defence on edge forcing York into conceding penalties.
Two kicks were missed but Dinnington levelled the scores when Marshall broke from the pack,after a drive following a lineout, 10 metres out to cross the line.
The Dinnington lineout was working well and on the half hour mark the forwards again made ground from the set-piece with Marshall this time coming off the back of a maul to score.
Darren Cannadine added the conversion to put Dinnington 12-5 up and clearly on top.
However, as a portent of what was to come, just before half-time they were somewhat harshly penalised for crossing, when it looked like accidental offside, and York took a quick tap to go over in the corner.
Unperturbed, Dinnington went into the second half still full of confidence but as the half progressed it became sorely dented.
They extended their lead 10 minutes into the half when they turned the ball over at a York scrum five metres from the home line, giving Marshall his third try, and then opened up a comfortable 10 point lead with a Cannadine penalty after York had collapsed a scrum.
Dinnington's dominance in the scrum caused York problems all game and as the half progressed York's only answer was to collapse it to prevent a Dinnington drive.
In one period of Dinnington pressure they had five five-metre scrums on the home line.
Each time they got a drive on and each time York collapsed it but the referee was not inclined to award a penalty try or issue the yellow card and eventually the home side spoiled enough to be able to clear their lines.
If this was not bad enough, Dinnington thought they had scored a legitimate try when York knocked the ball into their in-goal area and Andy Hopkin pounced on it only for the referee to award them a five-metre scrum.
He gave the same award later, when Dinnington's forwards drove over the line in possession, deeming the ball had been held up.
Dinnington did well to keep their composure but, as luck would have it, in the final 10 minutes they were twice caught out by the quick thinking of the home scrum-half.
On both occasions he took a quick tap penalty and was through Dinnington's defence before they reacted. leaving the visitors bitterly disappointed.
Tomorrow, Dinnington are at home to Castleford.
Dinnington III 17
Rotherham Phoenix II 10
Dinnington thirds got back to winning ways after defeats in their last two games, with a narrow victory over Phoenix seconds, but it took a try with the last action of the game to clinch the spoils.
Dinnington made a strong start to the game and took the lead after 10 minutes when Richard White took the ball off a ruck to score.
The home side were on top for most of the first 40 minutes and added to their lead following another ruck.
This time the ball was moved along the backs where White was waiting in midfield to claim his second try.
In the second half Phoenix upped their effort and began to gain the upper hand.
Dinnington eased off slightly and Phoenix took full advantage, scoring two tries and a conversion to lead 12-10.
Dinnington thought their chance of victory had passed them by when a break down the wing by Bradley Page ended as his pass inside to Steve Leitch was knocked on with the line beckoning.
However, in the dying seconds of the game they were awarded a penalty for a high tackle which they took quickly and after two phases it was passed along the backs finding back-row forward White lurking in the centres to claim his third try of the game.
Steve Leitch's conversion was the last kick of the game.
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Weather for Dinnington
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
