Northum’land 22 Yorkshire……..34
PETE Swatkins scored a second half hat-trick to inspire Yorkshire to a tight victory over Northumberland.
Yorkshire trailed after just seven minutes, but fought back to draw level at half-time and then Swatkins ensured the visitors pulled away in the second half.
Northumberland got off to a quick start and raced into a 7-0 lead with Aedan Moloney going over after just four minutes following sloppy Yorkshire play in the middle of the pitch – as he capitalised and the score was converted by Will Muir.
Muir then went over for a try of his own after a Yorkshire missed tackle allowed him to break free and he duly converted to make the score 14-0.
The Yorkshire fightback then began, with Harrogate’s Lewis Minikin latching onto a grubber kick from Callum Irvine to score.
No.8 Rob Baldwin was pushed over for a second visiting try after just 18 minutes and Simon Frewin then crossed to make it 17-17 at the break.
Yorkshire ran away with it in the second half thanks to some slick handling and passing allowing Swatkins to run in three tries into the corner and move Yorkshire clear – Moloney did go over for his second for Northumberland but it was too little, too late.
TEAMS
NORTHUMBERLAND: Grimes, Moloney, Pike, Nash, Busby, Muir, Tait, Grant, Bell, Ellwood, Bloodworth, Gregorry, Walton, Gothorp, Lathlin
Replacements: Moody, Smith, Davison, Elliot, Murray, Bird, Hill
YORKSHIRE: Swatkins, Broadley, Minikin, Tincknell, Frewin, Irvine, Depledge, Laverick, Entressengle, Stout, Makin, Brady J, Burrdige, Briscoe, Baldwin Replacements: Cotterill, Brady S, Bell B, Stockdale, Bell C, Green, Guy
REFEREE: Ieuan Davies
ATTENDANCE: 256
Star man
Pete Swatkins – Yorkshire
