A midweek putsch at Clifton Park saw the York RUFC captaincy transferred to Brad MacDonald, but his first game at the helm was one to forget as they were thumped 50-14 at home by Huddersfield YMCA, who are joint-bottom of Yorkshire One.

York were without seven players and had only played one match in the preceding five weeks, so, with the captaincy situation also thrown in, it was perhaps not surprising that coordination, commitment and fitness were not of the highest level.

At the same time, the West Riding club has enjoyed a couple of recent successes. They are a big side and moved the ball about slickly.

Huddersfield ran in two tries in the opening ten minutes. A loose pass from York scrum-half James Arkle on his own 22 seemed to have been tidied up by his half-back partner John Morgan but his clearing kick was charged down and centre Stu Morton scored.

Then Morton was over again as flanker Steve Bowker burst clear to give the scoring pass. Full-back Dave Rees added the conversions.

York threatened a comeback but their defensive alignment failed them as long-laboured Field passes put winger Tim Horner clear. Then visiting fly-half Andy Luteru put in a clever cross kick for Morton to give Rees the scoring pass, and Rees added another try and converted a touchdown by winger Jeff Stier to give the visitors a 36-0 half time lead.

Immediately after the interval, Luteru put centre Max Iosesa in for a converted try, but York reduced errors and tightened up in defence.

Centre Sam Arkle used his pace and determination to score two tries, the second after a weaving run by winger Rob Kama. Both were converted by John Morgan.

York seemed set to win the second half only for a suspiciously offside interception by Morton to see sub Miki Nya-hoda away for a converted try.

Updated: 10:33 Monday, January 23, 2006