Baildon RUFC

This match, apparently, had been coined “The Battle of the Sheep Sh***ers”. I suppose this refers to the golden fleece that appears in both clubs’ badge. A golden fleece is a symbol of the importance of the wealth of the wool trade to the local community. In Baildon’s case the fleece hangs over a silver plough, indicating the influence of both wool and farming to the local economy. In Skipton’s case the golden fleece hangs under a chequered flag, indicating a fondness for grand prix motor racing alongside wool…or was it that chess was especially popular in ancient Skipton?

The golden fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts, but we covered Greek mythology last week. In any case the golden fleece is thought to have a real life origin: in areas were small particles of gold found their way into local rivers, a fortune could be made by recovering the gold. The most popular method was “panning”, but an alternative method was to stake a fleece into the river bed. The flow of the water would wash the dirt, sand and soil downstream but the heavier gold particles would sink into the pile of the fleece. Over time the fleece would become heavy with gold.

Truth be told there was little golden quality in this match. If you had not already guessed from the literary padding in the opening two paragraphs; the highlights reel for this match, if there was one, would be brief.

This was a great shame for the magnificent travelling Baildon support. There were the alicadoos: I saw Reidy, Terry Slocombe, Martyn Heald. Former players Andy Greaves, Garry Strauss, Steve Haithwaite were joined by Dale “Heart Condition” Tabiner and Adam “The Mouth” Hewitt to give the travelling support extra “bite”. Our newest Honorary Life Member Tony Little was there, as were Dave and Mrs Morris and Donna Pollard. What a fantastic turn out. The Baildon support expressed concern that there was a clash of colours with the referee wearing a dark pink shirt that, at a distance, could be confused with the Skipton strip. Pink/red colour blindness, age related eyesight changes, supporters’ bias: imponderables.

The match started brightly enough: a Harrison Strauss turnover and an excellent Ollie Williams touch finder. Baildon indiscipline was going to be a recurrent problem through penalties conceded. Penalties gave the home side territory initially, then the first shot at points. The shot drifted wide. (0-0)

Baildon got into range and themselves forced a penalty at the breakdown through Skipton holding on. This time the Baildon kick was wide. (0-0)

So far “much ado about nothing – nothing” as I’m sure Shakespeare once wrote.

A Luke Strauss break, Jake Duxbury switch combined with bullocking runs from Phil Wilson and Joe “Butcher Boy” Smith promised, but ultimately didn’t deliver. Joe looked as fit as, well, as fit as his dog and was available to play thanks to Lishman’s: quality purveyors of meat and sausages, what a shame he can’t be released from that wonderful shop more often on Saturdays.

Good hands released Paul MacNamara and a Strauss (I wrote Harrison but after the match someone said Crazy Legs Josh) was denied a score in the corner when the referee spotted a knock on.

Skipton could not get an exit from the 5m scrum.  Jake Duxbury then Luke Strauss and Paul MacNamara couldn’t break the defence but drew an offside. Duxbury took the points. (0-3)

A Luke Strauss pickup off his toes and Ollie Williams grubber kick teased the Skipton defence, but the ball was taken superbly and Skipton threatened to counter attack, flinging the ball wide. Danny Pollard reached out to tip the ball up, he almost collected and would have been in for a try, but the knock on was deemed deliberate, denying Skipton a try scoring opportunity. Pollard was shown the harshest of yellows.

Whilst down to 14 players Baildon would concede twice. From the Pollard yellow card penalty Skipton took an attacking line. The first maul was stopped but a back of the line peel was well worked, though with a hint of “truck and trailer” as the Skipton Hooker tucked in behind two of his forwards before slipping through the Baildon defence that was short. (5-3)

Skipton’s second came again through good field position yielded by a penalty due to Baildon indiscipline. Good hands and moving the ball both left and right exposed the gaps. Skipton lock was in at the corner and the try was converted with an impressive kick. (12-3)  

Danny Pollard was back on but Baildon appeared rattled. In particular they could not get on the same wavelength as the referee at the breakdown and conceded too many penalties. As the half closed Skipton pressed for their third try but were held up over the line on the last play of the half. (12-3 HT)

Ollie Williams nursing a hamstring came off at half time, necessitating a switch with Matty Robinson moving to scrum half.

Skipton began to play in the narrow channels, finding gaps with their pick and go game. Once more Skipton crossed Baildon’s try line, but on this occasion they knocked on.

Baildon relieved the pressure winning a penalty when Skipton held on. Then a little bit of rugby broke out. A chip and recovery made yards. Baildon started playing with fluency and pace going through the phases. George Morris looked up from a ruck, saw no one at home and gleefully skipped over to score. Converted Jake Duxbury. (12-10)

Four high shots on Paul MacNamara were not spotted. The first was a swinging arm tackle to the head, the second a no arm shoulder to head, then a double hit to the head in a clear out, finally a Skipton player gave MacNa the “nod of approval” in a ruck, seen by everyone but the referee. Paul MacNamara asked to be substituted, not because of failing a concussion test, but because he could not risk a fifth head shot in rapid succession and was worried about his own welfare.  Fair enough.

Matty Robinson put in a good kick out of hand and the chase won a penalty when a Skipton player was isolated. Jake Duxbury took the points. (12-13)

Moments later Baildon appeared to turn over a ball in contact but the turn over was judged illegal. The penalty would have regained Skipton’s lead but the shot was scuffed.

Max Sutcliffe and Ollie Shakeshaft were on, each making contributions. Jake Duxbury looked like he was taken off the ball, but nothing was given.

Max Sutcliffe seemed as though he was in when he made a searing break, but the move was called back for an earlier knock on.

Baildon were now under pressure as the game entered the dying minutes. A Baildon player was given a yellow card, I asked what for and some wit said “for being punched”. The penalty kick was relatively straight forward but inexplicably Skipton took the scrum option rather than a match winning kick.

With Baildon down to 14 men another yellow card was shown to the visitors reducing them to 13. Once more the scrum option was taken. Had the easy kick been taken the final score would have been 15-13 – reflecting the numbers of payers on the pitch. We match reporters like such stuff, but it was not to be.

This time Skipton butchered (no offense to Joe Smith and high quality purveyors of fine meats Lishman’s) the overlap, knocking on.

Baildon scrum, Jake Duxbury exit, final whistle. (12-13 FT)

Thanks to Skipton, I can’t say whether you deserved to win because I was concentrating on the Baildon “performance”. You had chances that you did not take, I guess. All I can say is that Baildon didn’t really deserve to win, in my opinion.

Thanks to supporters, coaches, volunteers, sponsors and match officials.

A fine looking Second XV came off second best at West Park Leeds: thanks to everyone for adapting to the change of venue due to rain affected pitches.

12 months ago we were a team playing well in the wrong parts of the pitch, looking like we had forgotten how to win. This season, we have looked like a team that has forgotten how to lose.

We’ve been beaten by Vandals and Hemsworth. So on paper they are both better than us, Hemsworth comfortably so – they cut us to ribbons at Moxons Fields. Wibsey would have beaten us with their dynamic game of two pods of forwards varying the point of attack, but poor discipline let them down. Harrogate were, I thought, the best team we’ve played so far: they have a pack that would survive and thrive in Yorkshire Two. Otliensiens and Corinthians were both classy sides that played with endeavour and ambition and where the result may easily have gone their way.

So are we defying gravity at the upper ends of the league? I do not know, but this league is competitive. Any team, I believe, can beat another. That is great for Yorkshire Rugby. Small differences can therefore make a difference. Belief, work rate, discipline: these are key.   

SHEARERS by the way. It was the "Battle of the Sheep Shearers".