Baildon RUFC

Cup fixtures against teams from a lower division are a potential banana skin. You get no credit for winning, an upset is always possible, you can suffer from complacency or overconfidence, you could be drawn into a scrap. Throw into the mix a trip to an unfamiliar venue, a pitch remote from both clubhouse and changing facilities, then make it the first game of the season. From these unpromising ingredients Baildon concocted a vintage brew that more than quenched the thirst of travelling supporters.

Make no mistake: Thirsk played well for the full eighty. The home team strung together fluid phases of possession but sometimes struggled to stay on their feet and frequently found themselves recycling ball behind the gain line thanks to the visitors' defensive line speed and dominance in contact.

Baildon's first came off turnover ball. Quick hands from Jake Duxbury saw Tom Cluett pinning his ears back. A cute inside pass to Matt Fox, backing up, beat the last defender. Converted Duxbury. (0-7)

Baildon's set piece looked strong as they took scrum ball against the head with the Thirsk pack struggling to hold the push. Baildon's second came off their own scrum on the half way line. Ollie Murphy at number eight picked up and fed Matty Robinson. Robinson probed, making yards then distributed. With options outside Danny Pollard showed the ball then attacked the defender's inside shoulder, cutting through and dotting under the sticks. Converted Duxbury.
(0-14)

A Baildon scrum penalty put the visitors back on the attack. Once more the ball was moved quickly, Danny Pollard again making the line break and putting Jake Duxbury through to score. Duxbury added to his tally. (0-21)

Andy Magee did good work turning over ball. Harrison Strauss saw his chance to break into space. Matty Dixon ran a tremendous support line and crossed. Duxbury obliged. (0-28)

Strong counter rucking from Pete Lowth set up the next, Luke Strauss streaking into the corner. Duxbury continued his kicking master class. (0-35)

A Jake Duxbury chip was collected by Matthew Williams who had entered the fray from the subs bench to score. A Duxbury conversion attempt drifted wide, several spectators fainted in surprise and had to be revived with smelling salts. (0-40)

Thirsk ended the half strongly, pinning the visitors in their own 22 where Baildon committed a series of infringements in attempts to turnover ball. There could be no complaints when the referee showed yellow, Adam Hewitt perhaps unlucky to be the offender who was punished for what was, really, a team card.

Baildon's 14 man defence was resolute and denied a determined Thirsk who arguably deserved something from their pressure and persistence. (0-40 HT)

With job done Baildon's instructions were to manage the game playing in the right parts of the pitch, "ice" the ball to avoid penalty opportunities, keep running straight.

Tom Cluett caught a kick on the run and won a penalty which was taken quickly. The Baildon attack was bundled into touch. Pressure in the corner was not converted into points and Thirsk earned a 22 drop out.

For perhaps the best try of the match Baildon brought on the heavy machinery. Adam Hewitt, back on after his card, bulldozed through the first line of defence; Andy Magee scooped up the pass and trundled forwards and gave the deftest of deft passes to Pete Lowth who trucked over. Duxbury extended the lead with the extras. (0-47)

By now Baildon were playing some lovely rugby; back play moving the ball quickly, forwards interlinking with strong direct runs, intelligent kicking from half backs. In broken play Luke Strauss looked up from a ruck to see no guards and the back field clear. The long legged Strauss skipped over prostrate Thirsk players and with a sense of direction lacking in his former "sideways zig-zag dizzy crab" seasons ran in a straight line from his own 22 to dot down under the posts. Duxbury added. (0-54)

A Jake Duxbury break saw Luke Strauss denied a final score and was testimony to a Thirsk team who defended to the end. (0-54 FT)

Quote of the day comes from Dan Fletcher who had been following Mick Massey's score updates on WhatsApp and posted on the final whistle: "Thank the Lord, that was a nervy last five minutes".

Many thanks to our hosts, match officials, all players, coaches and supporters. Our supporters should have been breathalysed at the final whistle, such was the heady cocktail that they had just imbibed. The team's assessment was more sober. Our players understand that this is just the start, that there are lessons to be learned and work to be done to build on this strong cup performance.