At blustery Moor Lane It was billed as match of the day in Yorkshire One and the two teams didn’t disappoint to serve up a cracking game of rugby in front of a large crowd.

The match was a mirror image of the game at Middlesbrough earlier in the season with Boro going into a comfortable lead before Ponte staged a comeback. In the first game Ponte’s discipline collapsed to gift Boro victory, this time the team showed their improvement by patiently waiting for their chance to register a victory.

The early stages were dominated by Boro with the number eight quickly and cleverly getting the ball away from the scrum before Ponte’s fearsome scrummage could wreak havoc. They deservedly took the lead with a well worked try out wide with the conversion crucially hitting the post. Boro extended their lead with a penalty from an infringement at the breakdown.

At 0-8 down Ponte finally got the field position they needed. From an attacking scrum on the twenty two, Ponte marched the scrum forward to five metres out before getting a penalty. The scoreboard operator was getting ready for Ponte to finish the job off from another scrum. Unfortunately, they made a very poor decision and took a quick tap to go wide. Although it probably was on, two phases later the Boro centre, noted as one of the best players in the league, had intercepted and gone the length of the field for a converted try.

It was now 0-15 and Ponte needed a score. It came, and it was a cracker. A walking forward scrum just inside the Boro half allowed number eight Jack Beddis to make a break, he passed on to Callum Rogers who in turn found a charging Bailly Matthews who joyously dived under the posts for a converted try. The happiness was short lived however, as the experienced and outstanding Boro fly half found his centre on the angle to streak away for his second try. The conversion followed and it was 7-22 at half time.

There was always a feeling the game wasn’t over and Ponte played a great half of rugby. Firstly another great scrum gave the backs a free ball which ended up with player coach Craig Fawcett been driven over for a try which metronomic kicker Liam Kay converted.

Ponte had their tails up and soon on the attack again. Superb interplay in the forwards allowed the backs to put winger Lucas Betteridge away on a jinking run. He was just tackled short but second prize was the yellow carding of Boro’s star centre. Credit to Boro, with tight head prop Josh Hough having a short interchange, they held the scrum well, but Fawcett nearly scored from his own grubber kick through. He didn’t have to wait long for his second try though as a wonderful Kay pass put him over unopposed. Once again Kay converted and suddenly they were only a point behind.

Boro aren’t top of the table for nothing and weren’t going to lie down easily with Ponte scrum half Josh Walker having pulling off a try saving tackle. Nerves were jangling as Kay missed a difficult penalty, but credit to Ponte they were never gave up. With Boro defending heroically, it was an old friend to the rescue as a scrum penalty allowed Kay to majestically stroke home the winning penalty. Game over and well earned celebrations.

As is becoming the norm, plaudits to the whole team and congratulations to Boro, on a well deserved bonus point