Scarborough RUFC look to bounce back from derby loss

The Teessiders, who are in fifth spot in the league with 53 points one above Scarborough on 51, were relegated from North One East at the end of last season and have blown hot and cold in their first season in Yorkshire One.

They travelled to Bridlington on the first day of the season and came away from Dukes Park with a 25-21 win, then following defeats to Hullensians and Doncaster Phoenix they ended September in style thumping Malton & Norton 43-13 at home; their best result of the season.

Away from their Acklam Park HQ they have been less successful and after wins at strugglers Heath and Pontefract in October, they have failed to win on their travels since.

Following a surprise home defeat to bottom club North Ribblesdale at the end of January, they bounced back last week thumping Pontefract 35-0 at home.

Following the home defeat of Hullensians in the league and a last-gasp 34-24 win at Medicals in the RFU Intermediate Cup, skipper Tom Ratcliffe’s men made the short trip along the A64 to take on high-flying Malton at the Gannock last Saturday.

A couple of early Malton tries and the big travelling support feared the worse, however it turned out to be a much more even game than those early scores would have suggested and in the end Malton ran out 29-21 winners of a game Scarborough could have won.

For tomorrow’s game Corey Dennis and Harry Domett are still sidelined by injury but Graeme Jeffrey returns to action.

When the protagonists last met in November, Scarborough led 24-7 at the break at Acklam Park but having lost fly-half Tomasz Chadwick just before half-time with a serious injury and Harry Domett red-carded five minutes into the second 40 for indiscipline, they collapsed to a 26-24 defeat after a stirring Middlesbrough fightback.

I’m sure coach Lee Douglas’ charges will be determined to avenge that defeat tomorrow.

Zoe Aldcroft continues her progress at international level tomorrow when she starts on the wing for England Women’s under-20s against France at Bordeaux.

Already a European Championship winner with England’s under-18 sevens team, this is another big step up for the former Scalby School pupil and I’m sure all our good wishes go with her.

And on the subject of ladies rugby, Scarborough’s ladies team, the Valkyries, are back in action on Sunday when they take on Acklam Ladies at Silver Royd; kick-off 1pm.

Skipper Cathy-Ann Myers’ side have been hugely entertaining to watch and it should be a great game.

Why not pop up to the JM Guthrie for the Valkyries’ game then repair to the bar afterwards for Ireland v England on the big screens. Sounds like a perfect Sunday to me!

As you will have seen in the Scarborough News print editon and on social networks Scarborough have drawn Blackburn RFC in the quarter-final of the RFU Intermediate Cup at Silver Royd.

The game is on Saturday March 14 with a 3pm kick-off and with the winners being only 80 minutes from a Twickenham final, it should be a real cracker.