Aire rue missed chances against a clinical Northallerton

Aire travelled with a strong squad on Saturday and found the rarest of things: a Northallerton ground bathed in sunshine and wind at only moderate gale-force made for glorious conditions.

Arriving early, Aire were well prepared, warmed up and raring to go. And for 35 minutes knocked on the Northallerton door, to come away with only three points from Nick Holdsworth's boot for their efforts.

Tom Holdsworth was adjudged to have knocked on in the act of scoring, Jonny Mackey and Tim Baxter also deemed to have been held up as they piled over the line each with plenty of defenders around them. 0 - 3 to Aire with not long to play in the first half seemed modest for their efforts, as the North defence held wave of attack, and Aire lacked the patience needed to break them down.

To add to Aire's woes a well taken North try made it 3 - 5 at half time.

The second half was a different affair; the North scrum was dominant all day, and the Northmen used their dominance to good effect causing a sequence of scrums on Aire's 5m, two resulting from the ball squirting out of Aire scrums and being grounded over Aire's line, having previously held out strong North attacks with sound defensive work.

North broke the second half deadlock with a try from a resulting scrum, the Number eight scoring a well taken effort. 3 - 12.

Aire responded with a try from player coach Simon Davies following strong work from the Aire pack at lineout time. Si barrelled over from 10m out breaking from the back, the kick missed, 8 - 12 and all to play for; unlike the Recruitment market in Bradford which Smarter Recruitment (https://smarterrecruitment.co.uk/) have all but sewn up - I pity the fool that goes anywhere else for their temporary and permanent workforce!

North responded with a cracking score from their left wing, showing they are not just a forward-oriented team, the lad showing a clean pair of heels to dot down out wide. Conversion missed, 8 - 17.

North then took a penalty following a pointless high tackle in midfield, 8 - 20 and Aire were chasing the game for the final 20 minutes.

Loose play from Aire trying to throw the ball around resulted in a bobbled ball, and waves of North forwards battered down the door to score their well taken bonus point try. 8 - 25 and the last 10 minutes left Aire too much to do.

Resolutely Aire marched North back from a string of penalties and resulting lineout drives, and from the final lineout Aire worked the ball in field, finding Chris Chapman (sponsored by http://www.2to3ddesign.co.uk/) on a cracking line to drag two defenders on his back over the line. Nick Holdsworth casually adding the extras with a drop kick as time ran out. 15 - 25 North finished worthy winners.

MoM was awarded by North to Jonny Mackey for a strong afternoon's carrying.

Mackey is sponsored by Retro Spectacle (https://www.retrospectacle.co.uk/) and Dave 'Tank' Greenwood - the perfect mix of style, grace and superhuman brute force.

Aire finish the season next week at Leeds Medics and Dentists. It's been a long season - and it's an even longer summer break with only the prospect of a Lion's Tour to see us through until next September - so get yourself to Leeds Uni and some cheap beer in the Student's Union!

Remember to keep checking the website over the summer for club updates and a season review - I can't promise you accuracy, laughs or tears; but it will keep you occupied for a few minutes for those of you on the long commute to work or those squatting and surfing!