Aire make it 5 on the bounce

Home match balls sponsored by Step Change, experienced telesales and customer research company working on accounts like EE, the UK’s market leading mobile phone network.

Aireborough went into the game hoping to continue their recent run of form that had seen them take 19 points from a possible 20, as well as hoping to reverse a defeat to the Medics from earlier in the season.

Captain Ollie Catherall (sponsored by Scoff) got the match underway with Aire kicking towards the houses, and although Aire exerted early pressure, it was the Medics who touched down first, with a swift counter-attack leading to a chip and chase which their winger touched down in the corner. The away team’s kicker then slotted a very impressive touchline conversion with the assistance of the wind.

Aireborough were unperturbed, and immediately applied the pressure again. Good work by Charlie Middleton (awaiting player sponsorship) forced a knock on in the shadow of the Medics’ posts, and Jonny Mackey (sponsored by Dave Greenwood) and Stu Wilson (sponsored by GMex Construction) combined to send Harley Stevenson-Cocks (awaiting player sponsorship) over on an excellent, short line. The kick was missed against the strong wind. (5-7).

The end to end nature of the game continued, when in the 10th minute the Medics scored again, this time from a driving maul. The conversion was not quite so accurate this time around, bring the score to 5-12 in the away side’s favour.

A high tackle from the student outfit allowed Aire excellent field position shortly after, and Sy Hill (also awaiting sponsorship) took full advantage, bursting out of a maul and powering his way over the line. Once again, the wind proved too much of an obstacle for the conversion. Rob Johnson (unsponsored) continued his excellent form with an outstanding dummy to make an outside break, unfortunately his pass which had drawn the full-back was dropped by an unidentified Aireborough player (see Brown Ale for details). In the midfield, Tom Copsey (unsponsored) and Liam Cree (sponsored by Phil Knowles) were working extremely hard to shut down the lively opposition back-line, making several vital cover tackles.

After Aire were held up over the line by dogged defence, Sy Hill powered his way over the line once again and Captain Catherall notched a fine conversion, bringing the score to 17-12 in the Wolfpack’s favour. From the kick off however Aireborough spurned possession and conceded a penalty, which the Med’s kicker slotted to reduce the gap to just 2 points. Aireborough counterpunched again, Copsey hitting an inside line to go through a hole and give Aire great field position. After another couple attempts that were held up, another strong scrum gave Jonny Mackey the position to throw an overhead one handed pass to veteran winger Antony Clitheroe (unsponsored), who took his opportunity clinically in the corner, giving Aireborough a try bonus point in the process. The conversion from out wide fell just short.

Still in the first half, excellent work from Nick ‘Chunky’ Jackson (sponsored by Furniture Clinic) held the ball off the floor from a dangerous Medics maul, sparing Aire a repeat of the earlier push over try. A strong kick return from the Medics left Antony Clitheroe facing up to a 3 man overlap, which prompted him to do what any self-respecting winger would do, bat it down and take a cheese-slice for the team. His protests that it went backwards were not quite as strong as the colour of his mustard jumper in the clubhouse later on.

To finish off the half, the Meds slotted another penalty to bring the score to 22-18 in the home side’s favour.

The second half was a slightly scrappier affair, with more dropped ball but certainly the same commitment and effort from both sides. Rob Johnson again started the half strongly, shrugging off 3 tackles on one occasion, before being taken off with a knee injury. The end of Clitheroe’s sin bin period saw Aireborough youth product Jamie Sykes (currently unsponsored) take the field for his second run out in open age rugby.

The youngster wasted no time getting stuck in and looked highly-accomplished in his role on the right wing. Aire battled hard and eventually found some field position, where Ollie Catherall went to the line and found Nick Holdsworth (sponsored by Step Change) sneaking up onto an inside ball which put him over to the left of the sticks. There were rumours in the club that the opposition were scared off by the size of his lip, but they are as yet unconfirmed. The conversion was unsuccessful (27-18).

Holdsworth then repeated the inside ball, this time setting up Nick Jackson in very similar fashion, this time the dynamic hooker going under the sticks to make the conversion a formality. Aireborough then began a long spell without the ball, where their defence stood up to the test. Notable contributions included Jamie Sykes jamming in at just the right time off his wing to shut down a 3 on 1 legally (Tony take note) and Martyn Booth covering large amounts of ground to scythe down a tricky Medics back by his bootlaces.

Aireborough’s final score saw the ball moved down the back-line to Liam Cree, who stepped off his left foot, dummied to the outside and cut through on an excellent outside break. The versatile Aireborough back probably could have scored himself, but unselfishly found the supporting Jamie Sykes on his right who finished clinically in the corner for what is surely to be the first try of many for the club. That was far from the first time an Aire player has forsaken their own glory to put a team-mate in for a try this season; a sign of the team spirit that has seen Aire’s mid-season form improve so dramatically. The conversion from wide was missed, which meant the score was 39-18 in Aireborough’s favour.

The Medics carried on pressing right to the end of the game. Notable moments in the final period were the Med’s number 10 picking a fight with Luke Exley (rather him than me), sponsored by NW Auto Services, Charlie Middleton making his now customary ball rip from a Medicals maul on Aireborough’s line and Alan Justham (as yet unsponsored) putting his head in just about every place it shouldn’t be to cap a fine performance.

The Medics did manage a final try, but left Nunroyd empty handed after only scoring 3 tries, Aireborough continue their fine run of form with another 5 points. Up next, Stocksbridge away.

Man of the Match: Liam Cree – Covered extremely well in defence, putting in some big hits and at one point driving the Medics scrum half back 8 or 9 metres. He also got Aireborough on the front foot in attack, capping it off with an excellent try assist for Jamie Sykes.

Champagne moment: Goes to Jamie Sykes for scoring his first try for the senior side, as well as a very solid all-round performance.

Brown Ale: Tom Copsey for butchering Rob Johnson’s good work and dropping the perfect pass that would have seen him go under the sticks.