The Foresters followed up their gritty away win at Pocklington with an emphatic home victory over Yarnbury in their second league match of the season. The Forester Faithful were treated to a feast of attacking play with the men in green running in nine tries with Yarnbury, although second best for much of the game, playing their part going over four times. We were also witness to the sight of Paul “Cabbage” Marklew turning out for the Foresters at loose-head prop. There was much conjecture on the side-lines as to Cabbage’s true age but the consensus was, older than us!
Dale received the kick off uphill and against the wind and were into their stride with a solid phase of rucks leading to a clearance kick that unfortunately found its way straight into the hands of an unmarked opposition winger who scored wide out, 0-5 to Yarnbury. This was not a sign of things to come.
Straight from the restart the Foresters secured good possession and after a series of drives won a penalty and kicked to the right corner. An impressive lineout catch and drive led to a try for Jacob Taylor, impressively converted by Rory McNabb. 7-5 to the Dale.
From the next restart Joe Metcalfe showed his strength with a barnstorming run to the same corner which should have resulted in a try, but a final pass knock on and, worse still, a hamstring pull for Joe meant only ten minutes on the park on his return from long term injury with Tom Rymer replacing him.
The rest of the first half showed Dale in all their attacking splendour. Fantastic breaks and slick hands from the backs meant the Foresters were always a threat but the next score came from a superb turnover from Madison Hunting; quick passing in the middle with Harry Bullough, heading for Dale’s favourite corner, pulling off a mercurial inside offload for Ralph Wellock to score the first of his hattrick of tries, converted by Mcnabb. 14-5.
After a brief piece of driving play by Yarnbury Eddie Gill pounced on a loose ball and sped through their defence to score near the posts, converted by McNabb. 21-5 to the Dalesmen.
Yarnbury were then awarded a penalty for Cabbage not rolling away in a Sumo like tussle with his opposite number but the kick was missed and glorious hands and timing from Jacob and Tom Jackson put Harry Bullough away for an unconverted try. 26-5.
The first half ended with a scrum in the Dale 22 which the Greens won against the head and a scintillating break from Louis Verity gave Ralph Wellock the chance to outpace the cover and score his second try. Converted, 33-5 to Dale at half time.
Joe Myers and Scott Rogers came on at half time for Jacob Tyler (an excellent performance) and Kristian Sharples but the management decided to give Cabbage another 40 minutes.
The half time team talk was led by Cabbage, presumably asking his team mates to slow things down a bit!! But he was soon in action again, together with his fellow foody prop, Tom “Sausage” Jackson, winning a scrum against the head, despite the latter giving away at least seven stone his opposing prop and even more to his replacement. Louis Verity used the ball intelligently, prodding through a neat grubber kick that Eddie Gill pounced on to score, converted by McNabb. 40-5 to the Dale.
With a 35 point lead, downhill with the wind behind Dale eased off rather too much and lost shape and intensity thereby allowing Yarnbury a sustained period of pressure and possession that they capitalised on with two well worked tries and a conversion. 40-17.
After 58 minutes Sam Mason replaced Max Bell. Dale woke from their slumbers, some excellent passing play from the backs resulting in a scrum deep in the Yarnbury half. Once again the Yarnbury front row found Cabbage and Sausage hard to digest and the pressure led to a charge down and score from Madison Hunting. 45-17 to the Greens.
After 65 minutes Joe Moorhouse came on for Eddie Gill. Yarnbury came back with their final score of the game, a converted try. 45-17.
In the last ten minutes Dale scored twice more; a delicate crossfield kick almost gave Joe Moorhouse a score but a break by Madison Hunting and a Ciprianiesque pass from Sam Mason in the centre sent Scott Rogers over for a converted try. 52-24.
In the very last minute Ralph Wellock grabbed his third try with a sixty metre sprint for the line, outpacing the Yarnbury backs to score a converted try. Full time Foresters 59-24 Yarnbury.
Having displayed their character in the previous game this match was a display of their class and potential. The Foresters’ Faithful declared Cabbage as their own Man of the Match, a full eighty minutes, a sparkling five metre break, ever present at the break down and so solid in the scrum. Paul you deserve every one of those cans of Budweiser handed to you on the way to the changing room, hats off!!!