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25
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Rhinos
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v
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York Knights
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18
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Pre-Season Friendly
15th January 2006
Knights Make it Tough For Youngsters
The Rhinos took little time to get into the match, and onto the scoreboard, much to the delight of their 1,000+ supporters who helped swell the Knights coffers. With the game just thirty seconds old, Tansey went over after a great break by Nick Scruton. As Gibson slotted over the extras for a 6-0 lead, the Knights supporters must have thought they were in for a long afternoon.
On seven minutes the home side struck back. An up-and-under was knocked-on by Fox (under pressure) and collected by Blaymire to score in the corner. Thorman missed the conversion, but the Knights were making a fight of it.
With eighteen minutes on the clock Millard and Mathers combined to put McAvoy over for a walk-in try. Gibsons extra two gave the Rhinos breathing space again at 12-4. Two minutes later and the lead was extended. A superb Ablett offload under the sicks allowed Scruton to crash over. Gibbo's extras gave us an 18-4 lead.
York weren't about to lie down.
On twenty-six a grubber kick came back off the posts and into the hands of a grateful Patterson who touched down, with Thorman adding the two for 18-10.
The last action of the first half saw Mathers break and put a superb inside pass to Feather to score. As Gibson converted, the Rhinos had a 24-10 half-time lead, and the game was almost won.
The Rhinos had governed the first half, but it would be York who would boss the second as Smith made change after change to let all of his twenty-three lads have a run. On sixty-one, after a lot of York Pressure, Law went over in the corner. Thorman missed the conversion for 24-14.
With five minutes left, York got back within a converted try after Patterson burrowed over in the corner. He missed taking the opportunity to convert his own try, but it was 24-18.
The Leeds youngsters were looking on-the-ropes, but Jordan Tansey came to the rescue with three minutes remaining when he slotted over a drop Goal from 30m, to be roundly booed by the disappointed Knights crowd. In the end the Rhinos were worthy winners, the York coffers were once again overflowing, and the frozen supporters trudged back to their cars.
This was, once again, a waste of an afternoon for the Rhinos faithful, which will teach us nothing about the season ahead. Mathers came through with a couple of slight knocks, and Williams, Fox, and Gibson were all industrious. A big rap for Ian Kirke, who had an outstanding game in the second row, and who was for me the best player on the field. Just a shame that we don't really need any second rowers!!!!
Match Facts
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No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
1
|
Mathers
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Blaymire
|
1
|
|
|
|
2
|
Fox
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Farrell
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Gibson
|
|
4
|
|
|
3
|
Potter
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
McAvoy
|
1
|
|
|
|
4
|
Law
|
1
|
|
|
|
5
|
Williams
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
Clarke
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
I'Anson C.
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
Rhodes
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
Tansey
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
7
|
Thorman
|
|
1
|
|
|
8
|
Scruton
|
1
|
|
|
|
8
|
Sullivan
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
Millard
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
Elston
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
Feather
|
1
|
|
|
|
10
|
O'Laughlin
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
Kirke
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
Smith
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
Tootill
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
Ward
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
Ablett
|
|
|
|
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13
|
Patterson
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Brown
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Helm
|
|
|
|
|
15
|
Endersby
|
|
|
|
|
15
|
Buckley
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
Hart
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
Spicer
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Burgess
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Liddell
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|
|
|
|
18
|
Brook
|
|
|
|
|
18
|
Hasty
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
I'Anson J.
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|
|
|
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19
|
Blanchorn
|
|
|
|
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20
|
Faal
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
Golden
|
|
|
|
|
21
|
Halliday
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22
|
Watts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
Harris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kick Off:
|
15:00
|
|
Half-Time:
|
10-24
|
|
Referee:
|
Phil Bentham
|
| 
