Brods survive late York rally

Scrum half Dom Georgiou provided the attacking spark as they turned a 3-3 interval scoreline into a 27-11 lead down the slope.

However, with the four-try bonus point in the bag, the hosts slackened off in the last 10 minutes and were relieved to hear the final whistle after the visiting forwards had twice mauled their way over the try line.

Brods were making it four wins in a month, the blot on their recent record being the 16-15 defeat at Heath the previous week.

They went fifth in the table, above Scarborough, and will look to stay there with matches against bottom two West Park Leeds and Old Crossleyans to finish their campaign.

Both sides showed their prowess at the set piece in a first half which lacked chances and incident.

Straight penalties from Brods No 8 Ollie Akroyd after six minutes and York centre Jon Dawes after 13 minutes accounted for the points.

Most of the play was centred between half way and the Brods 22 and the home side defended well across the park.

Dawes kicked York in front with a penalty eight minutes after the break but the visitors lost the ball from the restart and Georgiou scored a try out of nothing, jinking past an opponent on the fringes of a ruck and racing 25 metres unopposed to score at the side of the posts. Akroyd converted.

Brods added another try two minutes later, Georgiou slipping through the York defence from inside his own half and Liam Scott providing an excellent link, sending the supporting Phil Town over at the side of the posts.

Akroyd converted and Brods added a third try in the space of nine minutes when South African prop Josh Cricknay, just back from injury, was the proverbial runaway train, knocking three opponents out of the way in an unstoppable 30 metre run to the line.

York were in no mood to roll over. They gave a first illustration of their close-quarter strength when rumbling over following a penalty to the corner. Scrum half Ben Johnson touched down behind his forwards but the kick was missed.

Back came Brods, spreading the ball wide for winger Ben Barron to cross with 12 minutes left, only for York to catch the restart and maul 25 metres to the line for Johnson to get his second.

Dawes converted and then set alarm bells ringing for the home side when he added a fine goal after No 8 Marcus Britland had dived over following more forward pressure.

However, when Brods forced a York error in midfield, time was up and they were able to kick the ball off the park.