Aireborough end the season on a high with a 37-24 victory away at Medics

Aireborough travelled to Leeds Medics and Dentists for the final game of the 2016/17 season on Saturday, looking to end the season on a high following a slump in recent form and to also avenge a defeat at Fortress Nunroyd earlier in the season.

A strong team was slightly shuffled with Tom Holdsworth pulling out of the squad pre-game with a broken finger nail; with Ollie Catherall moving to scrum half, golden boot Nick Holdsworth filling in at fly-half, Oscar Edwards returning from a successful first year at Bath University to sweep up at full back and resident joker and half-man, half-mouse Thomas Copsey pulling on the number 11 shirt.

After a slow start which saw a rampant Medics score two converted tries in the first 10 minutes and threatening a cricket score against the shell shocked visitors; Aireborough woke up and made their way down the field to the Medics ‘22m. The forwards worked through the phases and the ball found its way to Thomas Copsey on the wing who dotted down out wide for his fifth try of his debut season with Aireborough. That try gave Copsey as many tries as cheese-slices and it was even money which stat would prevail by the end of the 80 minutes. Nick Holdsworth, needing just four points to reach 100 for the season was wayward with his attempted conversion and the score remained Medics 14 v Aireborough 5.

Medics responded in kind with a well worked try shortly afterwards to increase their lead to 19-5. They were soon up numerically too with lock Wild Bill Child given a 10 minute rest for a no arms tackle. Despite being a man light in the scrum Aireborough quickly had Medics on the back foot in the scrum which gave Aireborough possession of the ball in dangerous territory. Several wolf balls later Aireborough were held up by a dogged student defence but the walking, talking fridge that is Adam Jackson (powered by Guiseley’s finest pizzeria; The Pizza House Company - http://www.pizzahousecompany.co.uk/) skilfully trapped the ball at the back of the Aire scrum and proceeded to drive the pack over the line to score his second try of the campaign. Nick Holdsworth was successful with the conversion to reduce the deficit to 19-12 in favour of the home side.

Restored to their full complement of forwards, Aireborough dominated the final 10 minutes of the half and were well and truly back in the game with an unconverted Jonny Mackey try bringing Aire to within two points of Medics. Jonny Mackey, who used to be mistaken for a human-sized egg with no style until he was taken under the wing by the cool cats at Retro Spectacle (https://www.retrospectacle.co.uk/) but is now just a human-sized egg, had also scored his fifth try of the season – a feat regularly completed by Jonny’s other sponsor, Dave ‘tank’ Greenwood, in his heyday.

HT: Leeds Medics and Dentists 19 v Aireborough 17
Game on!

Aireborough started the second half as they ended the first, controlling both possession and territory with dominance at the collision from the forwards and strong running from the backs to break the gain line. Medics began falling foul of the referee as they struggled to contain the wolf pack and Nick Holdsworth decided to stop messing about and flirting with the 100 point total for the season to slot over two well taken penalties to give Aireborough the lead for the first time in the afternoon. Aireborough were leading 19-23 and looking in control…

For those of you not there, I know what you’re thinking with the ‘…’ – but you’d be wrong! The positive vibes being sent through the air from colossus Richard Holmes, who was unavailable due to stag-do duties, gave Aireborough extra vigour to get the job done and Luke Exley, the man who’s had more replacement knees than hot meals, crashed over as the wolf pack mauled a lineout and sent him over the try line. Nick Holdsworth bagged another two points with the conversion as Aireborough extended their lead to 19-30.

Medics, unable to match the force (a.k.a weight) of their older (wiser??) visitors, showed their quality to reduce the deficit with an excellent try as they offloaded and passed their way to the Aire try line for a well worked unconverted try. Ten minutes to go and the score was 24-30 to Aireborough and the sound of squeaky bums on the Aireborough side line could be heard as the memory of the last minute; one point defeat to Mods came crashing to the fore front of people’s minds.

Not again, surely not again!?

Well thankfully, no – not again.

And don’t call me Shirley!

Because, as Medics continued to press in search of a winning score, Aireborough used their experience to wind the clock down and force Medics into some hail-Mary rugby – ultimately resulting in the Aireborough press defence smothering medics and Kris Brook picking up either his ninth or tenth try of the season (to be confirmed) with an interception under the sticks. Resident full-kit w*nker and owner of every single item of Aire stash Kris, with his triple sponsorship deal from VanBar Associates (http://www.vanbarassociates.com/), Cannon Garden Services (http://www.cannongardenservices.co.uk/) and GMex Construction funding his stash addiction, ends the season as top try scorer – although this is to be expected given he is the quickest at the club. So well done on doing the absolute minimum expected this season Kris!

Nick Holdsworth added the conversion with the final kick of the game to end the season with 106 points and give Aireborough a very well deserved victory over a spirited and dangerous Medics by 24-37 points.

FT: Leeds Medics and Dentists 24 v Aireborough 37

By all accounts a cracking game – as aforementioned I wasn’t there so if any of the details are incorrect then talk to the hand as it’s officially summertime and my ink has run dr…