By Richard Sykes
Huddersfield RUFC head coach Danny Brough was a happy man as he tries to build a new ‘culture’ at Lockwood Park.
Field beat second-placed York 21-13 to wreck the visitors’ 100% start to the season.
In an intense battle both sides scored two tries, the visitors bagging theirs late in the game which, although they put a dent in the scoreline, were insufficient to prise the game from Huddersfield’s cast iron grip.
Three yellow cards reduced Huddersfield to 14 men for 30 minutes during the game and had a marked effect on their game plan and the complexion of the match and made the win all the more impressive.
Brough (below) was thrilled with his team’s performance and said: “It was a real team effort and I thought everyone put a shift in.
“We really enjoyed defending. I’m trying to get a culture down here, defend first and the tries will come and we did that.
“We had to defend for 60 minutes and to not concede for most of that time was really impressive. I’m very proud of the lads’ effort and proud to get a great win for the club.”
Field started in dazzling style and created one way traffic in the first quarter. They dominated the first scrum, pressured York into penalties and took the lead when Will Milner slotted one after just five minutes.
From the re-start Field regained possession and continued to dominate. Scrum-half Josh Walker provided brisk service for Milner and Ed Barber in midfield, giving them time to pick attacking options.
The ball was run hard into contact and moved wide to bring the pacy Stewart brothers on the wings into the mix.
Kian Stewart made a threatening solo run on 12 minutes and cut cross field to combine with his brother Finlay moments later. York mounted a determined defence and did well to prevent further scoring.
Milner was the first to receive yellow. After a quarter of an hour he was sent to the bin for a high tackle.
At first there wasn’t a noticeable change in the game but on the half hour York produced an incisive spell which put Field into a defensive mode in which they stayed for the rest of the match.
For the final 10 minutes of the first half York threw everything into attack. Five metre lineout mauls were driven back, individuals trying to break through were met with crunching tackles and when the ball went wide Field’s back three provided an impenetrable last line.
Pressure was relieved after York overthrew a lineout and Field worked the ball through the phases to halfway where prop Callum Thompson received his marching orders for querying a refereeing decision just after Milner’s return to the fray.
York pegged Field back with the penalty and the half finished when Milner secured a great turnover to leave the half-time score 3-0.
Field’s defensive organisation was tested again at the start of the second period. It was not found wanting and in possession they showed ambition, taking every opportunity to attack. Kian Stewart fed Barber on an inside run and when he was halted illegally, Milner doubled the lead with a second penalty.
His opposite number, Harry Shackleton, cancelled out the increased advantage with a penalty for York a minute later.
Barber and Stewart then combined again on 53 minutes, the latter chipping cleverly over the defence and taking the catch.
Although Stewart was held up short York were penalised and Thompson powered over from short range for a try which Milner converted. Five minutes later Milner landed a long penalty to make the score 16-3.
When play entered the final quarter, Field had to produce another massive shift in defence and after Tom Haywood was yellow carded at a break down York finally broke through, winger Charles Rea exploiting space as the extra man for an unconverted corner flag try.
With Field holding a 9-point lead and the game in its final stages things were tense but when Barber broke from halfway after making an interception the tension was relieved by his solo run and try.
With time up Darren Neilly ran the ball out of defence for a final time for Field. He set the ball back perfectly but support players were penalised at the ruck.
York took a swift tap, the ball was whisked right and winger Andre Peplinski scored a final consolation try in the corner. Shackleton’s missed conversion left the visitors one point shy of a losing bonus point.
Huddersfield; Hawkyard; Stewart F; Workman; Barber; Stewart K; Milner; Walker; Sanderson; Moore; Thompson; Lloyd; Barnard; Hammond; Christian; Parfitt. Replacements: Neilly; Horsfall; Haywood.
Main image by: RAY MORRIS
