The fullback kicked fourteen points to help York edge past Men’s 1st XV Rugby Union.
Always a highlight of the weekend, Men’s Rugby once again, drew a large crowd on the final afternoon of Roses 2019 and the action did not disappoint.
Lancaster made an electric start and were camped in York territory for the majority of the opening twenty minutes. The visitors turned the pressure into points when Finn Nelson went over in the corner much to the delight of the partisan travelling crowd. Fly-half, Jack McDonald added a difficult conversion from just inside the touchline to open up a seven-point lead.
McDonald then added two penalties to his account following some dominant play from the forwards; Lancaster led by thirteen and looked in complete control.
York soon came back into the contest. Dye cut through the Lancaster defensive line before linking up with scrum-half Robinson and van Giesen was on hand to finish off an excellent team try. The hosts continued to dominate the rest of the first half and earned a penalty on the stroke of halftime. Rather than opting for the points, they went for the corner and were duly rewarded when Robinson burrowed over from short range to cut the deficit to three points. Dye’s conversion took a fortuitous bounce, hitting both the upright and the crossbar before somehow sneaking over. Lancaster led by a solitary point at half-time.
The home side started the second half how they had finished the first and took the lead for the first time through the boot of Dye. With the tension rising, Dye added another pair of penalties to McDonald’s one, to open up a five-point advantage.
Lancaster’s forward pack were not about to lie down. Having opted for the corner late in the second half, a perfectly execute catch-and-drive saw Matthew Ringer rumbled over the try-line to level the match with the conversion to come. McDonald made no mistake with the kick and Lancaster took the lead going into the closing stages, 23-21.
However, the drama was not finished there. York came straight back and earned consecutive penalties in Lancaster’s half and with the second opted for a shot at goal. Dye composed himself and bisected the uprights encouraging a roar from the home supporters that could be heard across campus.
York held on for the narrowest of wins, 24-23 Emerging victorious in a match that will surely be remembered as one of the most dramatic contests the fixture has ever seen.
