A VALIANT Yarnbury succumbed to a powerful pack in a 22-10 defeat at Northallerton in windy conditions on Saturday.

Having lost recent games in Yorkshire Division Two, Yarnbury were desperate to get something out of this tricky fixture.

The game was never in doubt in North Yorkshire, but the pitch was extremely dry despite recent weather conditions.

Storm Dennis had still not arrived, but the wind blowing across the pitch turned the encounter into a slugfest down the middle.

Certainly the conditions did not suit the Horsforth side, as they could not spread the play through their speedy backs.

Northallerton was ably led in the forwards by the experienced No 8 Iain Swain, who was a thorn in Yarnbury's side last season.

His powerful pick and goes were immediately evident in the home side's play, as they kept the ball tight up the slope and let the wind do the rest with kicks from stand-off Doug Mullholland.

With their powerful pack, the conditions suited the home side and Yarnbury were not able to take advantage of the conditions down the pitch.

Northallerton scored first on 17 minutes. Yarnbury were penalised at the breakdown and from the close in line-out pressure finally paid off out wide as wing forward Don Dolby scored from a catch and drive. Mulholland 's conversion came back into the wind.

Yarnbury's reorganised pack made it hard for the bigger home forwards in the loose, but the scrums were a different matter.

However, scrambling defence prevented any real danger for the first quarter.

Yarnbury got themselves down the pitch and recycled good ball on the right for Josh Bateson to squeeze in on the blind side for an equalising unconverted try. The conversion from Jarrod Huss sailed away on the wind.

Yarnbury finally went behind at the end of the half when wing forward Kris Morrison touched down after the Northallerton pack managed to drive in from a line-out on the right following a penalty. There was no conversion again in the gale.

The second half started well for Yarnbury as they pushed for an equaliser and were rewarded by a quick move down the blind side with substitute Ian Maycock making his present felt at the back of the scrum.

He made yards up the field, then centres James Endersby and Connor Moreton released tricky winger Josh Bell, who fooled the opposition to score. Huss just missed the conversion as his kick shaved the post.

The last quarter belonged to the home side as their bigger pack told as the game went on in difficult conditions.

Northallerton took the lead on 60 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty try for repeated collapsing of the scrum and infringements under pressure at the scrums.

Yarnbury tried in vain to get back in close order, but did not have enough ball to make an impression and the game closed with a fourth Northallerton try from repeated catch and drives. Wing forward Robert Greene claimed the try.

The effort from the Yarnbury pack could not be faulted in the conditions, but physicality secured the win in the end.