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Match report: Wakefield City v Methley Royals
Wakefield City Methley Royals' prospects of winning the CMS Yorkshire League's Unison Division Two title were dealt a blow with a 38-32 reverse at second-from-bottom Wakefield City.
City, whose form throughout the campaign has been much better than their status, owed much to hooker Chris McDonald, who bustled over for four tries in a match-winning display. Darren Williamson, Shaun Smith and Dean Hunter also crossed the whitewash and Ben Moseley landed five goals.
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The Royals, meanwhile, badly missed top-scorer Tommy Skerrett, who remains on 98 points for the season and will hopefully be free of work commitments for Saturday's testing trip to Brotherton.
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Assistant coach Terry Crosthwaite – at the helm pending the return to full health of Tony Handforth – was also without Skerrett's halfback partner Dave Craven, again because of work commitments, and a reshuffled side which also lacked tough-tackling loose forward Thomas Wheatley was unable to contain Wakefield's expansive attack.
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Free-scoring winger Thomas Kaye was, nevertheless, able to pick up a couple of tries, both trademark opportunist efforts, to take his total for the season to 13 and bring Matty Handforth's club record of 16 into sight.
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James Baxter, operating in the number 6 shirt, also bagged a brace, while hooker Reece Willshaw contributed a try and four goals and hard-working second row Richard Scott forced his way over.
But Methley, hit by a high penalty count by Halifax referee Alex Brooke, were always on the back foot and, in the circumstances, worked wonders to remain in contention.
Danny Bolton, captain in the absence of Danny Agar (another absentee from the line-up because of work) was twice sin-binned for querying decisions, and there was consternation from impartial observers over a late vetoed `try' which, if allowed, could have restored parity.
Prop Dean Tucker, in his first game back after rejoining the Royals from Shaw Cross, worked hard throughout alongside fellow front-row men John Laidler and Gareth Grant-Mills.
Carl Garman and Danny Snowden were willing grafters off the bench, John Saville was busy at fullback, and Sam Payne, Matty Carriss-Wright and Matty Baker all showed good touches in the threequarters.
Paul Farrar was tireless in the second row, less than 48 hours after playing for West Yorkshire Police against the Met, and Simon Dickinson was s olid at scrum-half.
But the reality for Methley, now, is that they must rely on leaders Bentley Good Companions to lose one of their last two matches – at Doncaster Toll Bar and at Wakefield City – to have any chance of lifting the title.
The Royals' remaining fixtures are at Brotherton and Sherburn, followed by home games against Wakefield and Middleton.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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