York closed the gap on their two Camerons Brewery Rugby Union Merit Table rivals Pocklington and York RI, stealing a march on them with an emphatic 28-0 victory over Hessle at Clifton Park this afternoon in the only merit game – out of nine fixtures – that was played this afternoon.

York: Bewick, Ainsworth, P Richardson, Wynn, A Brown, Johnstone, Hepworth, Kane, Hare, A Robertshaw, P Robertshaw, Ayres, O’Byrne, T Brown.
Hessle: Maitland, Atherall, M Richardson, Leeman, Clipsen, Lee, Morgan, Robinson, Walker, Kingston, Bell, Dixon, Fenwick, Johnson.

Although York had the early push in the set scrums, the Hessle forwards took the ball due to fast strikes by their hooker Robinson.
Hessle’s early defensive kicks to touch gave York the advantage of throw ins for the lineouts but most of these were not straight.
There was hardly a hint of snow on the ground and despite recent persistent frosts, the surface would just take a stud.
A determined run by York left winger Ainsworth gained 30 metres before he was bundled into touch but a Hessle flanker was penalised for offside at a ruck following the lineout.
York hooker Kane took the tap penalty with his No.8 Tony Brown coming through on the burst and there was no stopping Brown on his fifteen metre burst for the touchdown.
His namesake Andy Brown (no relation) who had opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a penalty, slipped as he made his conversion attempt. But he made no mistake with a long range penalty to give York a 9 – 0 lead in the 22nd minute.
No.8 Brown stretched York’s lead finding the tight gap in the Hessle defences to score his second try from loose play, Andy Brown’s conversion taking the score to 15 – 0.

Half-time:
York……………………………………15 pts
Hessle……………………………………… Nil

An ambulance was called when Hessle’s second row forward Andy Bell sustained a neck injury, Hessle calling on Tim Robinson as a replacement.
At the three-quarter way stage, York stormed further into the lead with unconverted tries by Paul Johnstone and prop forward Nick Hare.
The York No.8 Tony Brown completed another hat-trick scoring his third try of the game in the 35th minute to wrap up York’s victory and enable them to steal a march on their Merit Table rivals.

Result:
York……………………………… 28 pts
Hessle……………………………….. Nil