Driffield 17 – 60 Scunthorpe : Saturday, 21 December 2024

14:02 : Scunthorpe had kicked off.  Driffield received the ball, but lost it quickly and Scunthorpe worked the ball to their left.  Dyson broke down the wing, handing off to Talbot who scored in the left corner.  The conversion was missed.  D 0 – 5 S

14:05 : Scunthorpe mounted a driving maul down the left side, which Driffield were unable to halt, allowing another score in the corner by Dyson. The conversion was missed.  D 0 – 10 S

14:09 : Driffield received yet another penalty, their Achilles Heel, giving away hard-won yards once more.

14:11 : Once again, another Scunthorpe rolling maul, this time on the right side of the pitch following another penalty, leaked another try from Payne, this time converted by Taylor.  D 0 – 17 S

14:13 : Driffield started to gain territory, making their way into the Scunthorpe 22, but lost the ball on both occasions allowing Scunthorpe to clear their lines.

14:19 : Scunthorpe broke through the middle for Dyson to score to the right of the sticks from 20 out, converted, to give them the bonus point with less than 20 minutes gone.  D 0 – 24 S

14:25 : Driffield were finally in the opposition 22 again, but again lost the ball allowing the clearance.

14:28 : Scunthorpe returned to attack, with Dyson rumbling in at the left side to score another, and the conversion from Taylor was good and a cricket score beckoned.  D 0 – 31 S

14:30 : Driffield were awarded a penalty in their own 22 on the right of the pitch, and cleared well upfield to touch, but were unable to capitalise on the resulting lineout.

14:36 : But this was the start of a purple patch for Driffield, when they looked able to compete against the top-of-the–table side and were finally coming back into the game.  But the opportunity was wasted when, following a penalty in the Scunthorpe 22, the ball was lost and Scunthorpe lines cleared.

14:43 : Finally, Driffield got onto the scoresheet when, from scrappy ball right of the sticks, Ramsden found a way over at the bottom of the heap to open the Driffield account.  The conversion was missed.  D 5 – 31 S

14:44 : The half-time whistle blew soon after.

14:53 : Driffield kicked off the second half, with a hill to climb, as they were 26 points down.

14:57 : This looked promising with a good break down the right side by Brankley, but the final inside pass was intercepted.

14:59 : Scunthorpe retaliated down the right sidefor Lugsden to go down the wing and run around to score under the sticks, converted by Taylor.  D 5 – 38 S

15:11 : Driffield steadied the ship, and competed well in the middle of the park for over ten minutes until the power and crispness of the Scunthorpe attack paid dividends when the Scunthorpe 12 bullocked his way through the middle from half way. He was stopped just short of the line.

15:13 : Scunthorpe attacked again, this team breaking left.  After multiple phases, the try was scored wide left, again by Lugsden, and the conversion missed off the post. D 5 – 43 S

15:17 : Driffield’s task was not made easier when Furbank was show yellow.

15:18 : Scunthorpe were awarded a penalty five out and left of sticks.  Going for maximum points, a planned move took the ball left and a try was scored.  The conversion missed just to the right.  D 5 – 48 S

15:22 : A few minutes later, the Scunthorpe winger went in at the left corner after the moved had started from starting from the right of the pitch.  The conversion was missed, but Scunthorpe had the half-century.  D 5 – 53 S

15:29 : Furbank returned to the field and redeemed himself almost straight away with a try from short range, converted by Stanyon.  D 12 – 53 S

15:34 : This marked another, too brief, purple patch from Driffield allowing Will Hughes to go in from twenty out for the third try.  D 17 – 53 S

15:37 : The local support, knowing that the game was lost, and that a losing bonus was not a possibility, held their breath hoping for a four-try bonus.  However, it was not be, as Scunthorpe broke through the middle from 15 out for hooker Mason to score under sticks.  D 17 – 60 S

15:37 : The final whistle ended the pain for the local contingent.

This was Driffield’s biggest loss since October 21 when Otley won 14-59.  Prior to that was against Billingham in September 2009 when the result was 20-69 against.  In fact, it was only the eighth time in 29 years they had lost by such a margin – not the sort of Christmas present the squad was looking for.

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