York's Yorkshire Division One visit to Hipperholme ended in a calamitous 31-10 defeat.

After even exchanges, York were torn to shreds when their defence buckled against Old Brodleians' expansive handling moves in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

After fly-half Dave Stoyles missed a couple of fairly easy penalties, Brods started to run penalty opportunities and they found York's normally tight outside defence somewhat leaden-footed and ill-positioned.

Full-back Adam Standeven burst into the line at outside centre and ran 50 yards to the line without even engaging a York player. Stoyles converted from touch.

From the re-start the home side threw the ball out to the left wing and, when the move broke down on the York 22, their half-backs manoeuvred big lock Mike Thomas into space. He fed pacy number eight Steve Shaw for an unopposed run-in try which Stoyles again converted.

Within minutes, Brods were back on the attack with a kick down to the York line where the ball was spun out to winger Ashley Cavalier.

He did not even need to live up to his name to give Stoyles another easy conversion opportunity.

Having conceded 21 points in six minutes, worse was in store for York as on the brink of half time, Stoyles collected in broken play some 35 yards out and with the help of the odd dummy, meandered through the York defence for an unconverted try and an interval lead of 26-0.

The irony of the first half was that, for 25 minutes York were playing with a commitment not apparent the previous week against Selby and holding their opponents.

Despite losing Lee Denham with a leg injury, York started the second period well with Matt Halifax and Sean Bass taking the game to their opponents, and Mike Ford kicked an early penalty.

Nathan Harding and Joe Brown combined to go close. Then Ford broke clear in the Brods' 22 and was impeded as he was about to collect his own kick ahead but referee Lumb chose to give York a five-metre scrum.

York remained on the attack and produced the try of the match with the forwards inter-handling before the ball was spun out to the right wing where Brown surged over in the corner. Ford converted brilliantly from touch to give York, at 26-10, a glimmer of hope with 20 minutes left.

However, they were unable to reproduce that form and in the closing minutes went further behind when, inside York's 22, Stoyles threw out a long ball to Standeven who put winger Jim Horne in for an unconverted try.

In truth the margin could have been greater if Brods had not over indulged in close forward play and recognised that their scores were coming wide out from passing moves.

York have to square up to the reality that, with probably a better squad than last year, they are playing worse rugby at a lower level. Whether this is a cause for hope or despair the coming weeks will reveal.

Updated: 10:34 Monday, October 08, 2001