YORK Rugby Union Club's hopes of a long run in the Yorkshire Shield crashed in a 16-10 defeat at Yarnbury.

For reasons outside the Clifton Park club's control the second round tie had been deferred from before Christmas and the Easter date found York missing several players.

But despite fielding eight reserves, York did not help themselves on the field. They made considerably more errors than their Yeadon-based hosts and failed to notice the referee was playing a different game at the breakdown than they thought appropriate. Hence they suffered penalties and reduced possession.

Yarnbury's larger and stronger pack dominated the opening stages and Wayne Butterfield crossed for scrum half Steve Galbraith to convert.

An offside offence enabled Galbraith to kick a penalty, replied in kind by York's Nick Ventress.

Another penalty saw Galbraith boot over an excellent kick, but York inched to within three points of their hosts through a gem of a try. Ventress put Sam Arkle on the burst and the centre tore through the Yarnbury defence and rounded the full-back to give Ventress an easy conversion.

But York promptly conceded another penalty which Galbraith duly accepted.

York could not bridge the gap though Arkle and Rob Kama both went close.

Updated: 09:33 Monday, March 28, 2005