Baildon RUFC

With Tom Parnell in quarantine, Matty Williams, Sam Robinson and Tom Cluett all unavailable it was a great relief that the Strauss family had returned from holiday. Supporter of the Year Levi barked his approval at Harrison Strauss's inclusion as captain, Luke Strauss on the wing and Josh Strauss on the finishers bench alongside Ross McUrich, Guy Price, Kayne Mazurke and Adam France.

Baildon looked to play with intensity and precision, doing the simple things well and cutting out the errors that had characterised their first half performance last week at Vandals.

Castleford's game plan was to kick themselves into the right part of the field and release their creative backs in more open play. A kicking game, creating broken field situations would play into their strengths, so Baildon looked to run the ball early rather than enter into a kicking duel.

Early into the match Jake Duxbury combined with Matty Robsinson and Matty Dixon to move the ball fifty metres. The move ended with a Baildon knock on, but Baildon had a definite nudge at scrum time putting the Castleford line on the back foot. When a kick was charged down by Jake Duxbury, Duxbury fed Danny Pollard who drew defenders and returned the pass. Duxbury then moved the ball wide, linking with Luke Strauss who used the space to round the last defender and score under the posts. Converted Duxbury. (7-0)

From the restart Baildon put themselves under pressure, conceding back to back penalties. Castelford look to have been held up over the line, but instead of being awarded an attacking scrum the referee had spotted a double movement, giving Baildon a let off with a penalty.

A ball was put through for Luke Strauss to chase, a chase he surely would have won had a Cas defender not collided with him bringing him down. The partisan home crowd bayed for a penalty, but the whistler opined that the defender was entitled to run his line.

Another quick shift of the ball saw Luke Strauss and Jake Duxbury line breaks. A no arms high tackle stopped the move and earned the Cas player a yellow card and ten minutes rest.

Baildon made the most of their man advantage scoring twice. From a Cas scrum Harrison Strauss stole the ball and fed to Luke Strauss . Duxbury converted despite the unsportsmanlike call of "missed it" from a visiting supporter keen to lift his team. (14-0)

Harrison Strauss again turned over the ball and broke. An Adam Hewitt charge came up just short but the ball was popped up for Danny Pollard to cross. Converted Duxbury (21-0)

Ollie Murphy won a penalty getting over the ball like Jack McJackal working in a Jacket emporium.

A Jake Duxbury shot at goal drifted wide.

Errors began to creep into the Baildon game. An Ollie Shakeshaft break came to nothing with a simple knock on. Great back and forward combination put Pete Lowth in under the posts but Lowth juggled the ball in a comedy moment of white line fever and lost possession. Dan Cookson and Harrison Strauss both had chances.

Cas stuck in there. A fabulous kick deserved more but the bounce favoured Baildon and the ball went dead for a scrum back. Baildon tried to launch a kick but it was charged down and Cas raced through to dot the ball down for hard earned points just before half time. (21-5 HT)

The half time talk reinforced the need for less showboating and a return to doing the basics with renewed intensity.

Despite Baildon's intent the play became more broken and Cas looked increasingly dangerous. Matty Robinson intercepted a ball and raced under the posts, but the referee had already put his hand out for Cas penalty advantage and Robinson was called back.

Jake Duxbury kicked a penalty to keep scoreboard pressure on. (24-5)

By now the home side had total dominance at the set piece, so could recover from errors in their game. The Cas scrum found reverse gear and struggled to hold the push straight legally. In a man of the match contender performance George Morris going up at two in the line stole six consecutive Cas line outs. SIX that's more than the fingers of one hand.....unless your from H.....CENSORED........ in more fake news: rumours abound that such was the extent of Morris's pilfering that Castleford police have issued a warrant.

Baildon's bonus point try came from a disrupted Cas scrum. The ball squirted out of the back of a retreating scrum and Harrison Strauss was there to dot down. (29-5)

Cas finished strongly, playing with spirit and tenacity. When Baildon defenders had been sucked in, the Cas fly half showed great vision and awareness, placing a beautiful cross field kick for his winger to collect. Adam French did enough to prevent the score, the referee called a Cas knock on, though to my eyes this was harsh as the ball's bounce had deceived.
(29-5 FT)

Thanks to players on both sides, all supporters, coaches, volunteers and match officials for an entertaining and tense game of rugby that was closer than the scoreboard indicated.

Man of the Match must have been a dead heat between Harrison Strauss and George Morris.

The Second XV game at Halifax Dukes was abandoned after three minutes because of a nasty ankle injury to Dave "Tinribs" Hemming. The post menopausal and osteoporotic Heming who has been trying to improve his Vitamin D levels by squeezing in additional beach holidays has broken more bones than I have had hot dinners. By all accounts this was a nasty triple compound fracture with open dislocation. As Hemming lay on the paddock with his ankle bones poking through his sock at an unfeasible angle, spurting arterial blood; he was heard to remark that he is "probably retiring from rugby"..... If I know Dave, that's the gas and air talking. Retire? Until Magaluf Dave, until Maga!

A cheeky Halifax official asked if the match should be recorded as a walk over proving that the Art of Coarse Rugby is not dead. Chapeau. Seriously though, thanks to Halifax for all the support for our injured player.

We know that all the rugby family will wish Tinribs well and pray for a speedy recovery.