Stitched up by the Beeb!
By MadTyke
September 5 2005
Last Sunday I awoke to the sound of my alarm. On a Sunday I hear you shout! Yes it was Sunday and I had to get up so that I could arrive on time at Headingley to watch the Tykes take on the Oirish.
Thanks to the BBC who decided to televise our game first despite the fact that the Oirish fans had to travel 200 miles to watch a 12.15pm kick-off, yet Barth only had to travel to Glaws, no wonder they had a full house.
Anyway, I set the video so that I might view the game again having sobered up and set off for Headingley. The crowd was small, as to be expected from such an early kick-off. Leeds generally drawing their supporters from the various Junior clubs around the County, whose U7’s to U19’s play on a Sunday morning so the reluctance to those clubs to change the fixtures and lose potential income that their clubs can ill afford.
Leeds appeared the more up for it, Oirish certainly didn’t play as expected. The press comments about changing their playing style were a bit exaggerated. The Tykes pack were awesome, Lineouts were stolen from the Oirsih and our own kept safe. It took a stroke of fortune for Tykes to score the first try, a misplaced Oirish kick was gathered and through the hands of Rayno Gerber, David Doughty sped off down the right wing, amazingly Rayno was on hand to take the inside pass and with a deft movement passed inside again to leave Chris Bell with a clear run to the line. Phil Christopher’s nearly scored another but was dragged down just short of the line and Oirish managed to clear their lines. As always happens, Tykes scored a drop goal through Gordon Ross only to concede a kickable penalty which was duly converted to leave the half time score as Tykes 8 Oirish 3
The 2nd half started where the 1st left off, both teams making un-forced errors and Oirish managed another penalty to bring the game within their reach but Leeds didn’t panic for once, a series of moves ended with David Doughty cruising round Horak to score a vital try in the corner which Ross converted. Oirish mounted several counter attacks, which the Tykes defence for once, nullified without conceding their normal penalties and when the final whistle blew it was a relief then the realisation struck at what the Tykes had actually managed to do. Get to Twickers.
Several pints of Guinness later I arrived home to watch through one eye the full match again but I must have been "tired and emotional" because I discovered that I’d taped the Rugby League highlights! It was only when I read the TykesRugby.co.uk messageboard that I discovered that the BEEB in Yorkshire had decided to start the Tykes game halfway through due to the RL highlights programme over running. There’s your answer Harry to why the Tykes have such low attendances, “BBC Look Sheffield“ doesn’t give a tinker’s cuss about Union, you’d rather feature the game of Touch and Pass.
So I have a question for the City Council: Will you be giving the Tykes a Civic Reception regardless of the result in Twickenham?