THIRSK secured their fifth win in five league games in convincing style, running out 57-7 victors over Rowntrees RUFC, who up until this game were the leaders of Yorkshire four.

Thirsk got off to the best possible start with an early opportunist try as fly half Chris Wood spotted space behind Tree’s rush defence and chipped the ball over for wing Orisi Katalau to catch at speed, wrong foot the full back and run in from 30 metres to touch down under the posts unopposed.

Alex Shepherd added the extras for 7-0, and within ten minutes Thirsk extended their lead with a well-worked try, finishing on the left wing, the conversion being missed by Shepherd from wide out.

Thirsk’s forwards dominated the visitor's forwards in the scrum and line out allowing them little of the ball to put up any sort of sustained momentum into their game.

With this dominance in the forwards, the home side hit a 20 minute purple patch of three unanswered tries, starting with a fantastic team try, linking eight to ten different players before the ball eventually fell to Wood to score to the left of the posts. The conversion from Shepherd, made the score 26-0.

With five minutes to go of the first half, Thirsk lost their centre Callum Scott-Conder for a ten minute yellow card as the referee judged an attempted interception was a deliberate knock on.

Tree spotted Thirsk were slow to react to the change in the back line and scored from the penalty after their centre Olly Neal hit a hard line right into the gap left by Scott-Conder before off loading to supporting number eight Zak Hardy to crash over for five points, duly converted by Neal, leaving the score 26-7 at the break.

Thirsk held off any team changes until they were back to a full compliment of 15 men, eight minutes into the second half. Thee changes saw two backs replacements and three forwards, and instantly had an impact as replacement winger Oakley scored with his first touch of the ball, again converted by Shepherd.

Thirsk's defence was resolute throughout the game and rarely looked stretched despite Tree’s dogged attempt to break the line.

The away side were now under more pressure at the scrum and breakdown with the introduction of the fresh and youthful forward legs of Oliver Sargent, Louie Sutcliffe and Jake Pallatina off the bench.

Tree’s Ryan Crocker saw yellow for pushing his hand in the face of one of Thirsk’s players, and Thirsk continued to build scoring opportunities and were clinical when the chances arose, running in four more tries in the second half. Alex Shepherd bagged a brace, snipping from scrum half, while rampaging prop Lewi Jackson burst through the defence from 25 metres.

Thirsk now sit second in the league with a game in hand on leaders, Leeds Medics and Dentists who fell to a 13-3 defeat the previous week to Thirsk at Newsham Road.

Thirsk have another home game this coming Saturday as they play York RI.