YORK RUFC kicked-off their 2024 with a disappointing 31-15 defeat to Doncaster Phoenix.

For the first match of 2024 York travelled down the A1 to Doncaster, who after a strong start to the season winning their first 3 games had only managed one more win and were sitting in the bottom half of the table.

The travelling York were without scrum half Toby Atkins, with George Davies taking his place.

Otherwise, York had a strong side but like their opponents hadn’t played in four weeks, with Archie Fothergill returning from injury to captain the side.

York started slowly and quickly conceded a penalty which the home side kicked to the 10 metre line.

York were unable to defend the catch and drive from the line out and were five points down after two minutes.

Doncaster’s centre was yellow carded for deliberate offside, although points were on offer York kicked to the 5 metre line, retained possession from the line out and Davies scored the try which was not converted. The score now 5-5 after nine minutes.

The score seemed to lift York and for the next 15 minutes they played with confidence and enjoyed a period of possession, territory and pressure.

Doncaster however defended well, and the only score was a penalty by No 10 Harry Shackleton after 22 minutes to stretch York’s lead to 8-5.

The remainder of the half belonged to the home side as York conceded 3 tries. The first was after 23 minutes when from a penalty which Doncaster kicked to the York five metre line and from the line out after several phases crossed the try line. The conversion was missed.

Doncaster kicked to the 5 metre line from a York offside and scored from the catch and drive. The conversion was again missed. York now trailed 17-8 after 30 minutes.

The home side were now playing with confidence and self-belief. From the kick off York went on the attack but lost the ball in contact conceded a penalty and it was no surprise when Doncaster kicked to the York 22 and from the line out and resulting drive their scrum half found a gap to touch down for another try. It was converted. The score now 24-8 after 36 minutes.

There was no further score before half time. The away supporters were still hopeful that the game was not lost but appreciated that it would require their team to play with more confidence, make fewer mistakes and defend the catch and drives from lineouts.

From a scrum on their 10 metre line York conceded a penalty and Doncaster rather surprisingly elected to kick for goal rather than kick for touch and try to score from the lineout.

The kick missed and York worked the ball up field but conceded a scrum on their 10 metre line from which Doncaster moved the ball down the back line and scored in the corner. The try was converted. The home side’s lead was now 31-8 after 11 minutes.

The away supporters feared that as York were now looking down the barrel, there was the prospect of conceding further points and a heavy defeat.

To their credit the team rallied and for the rest of the game played some good rugby and were the better side but had difficulty turning possession into points.

It was not until 30 minutes had passed that they were able to put points on the board. Play was in the home side’s 22, they conceded a penalty, York kicked to the 5 metre line and from the line out and catch and drive, captain Archie Fothergill went over the line. It was an easy conversion for fly half Harry Shackleton. The score now 31-15.

But it was too little too late for York, who fell to defeat to a deserving victory for Doncaster, who played a simple game, box kicked on many occasions, kept the ball tight and the full back, who had played at a higher level, kicked well for position and kept York on the defensive.