8th December 2007 - Hull Ionians Hawks  0   Cleckheaton A  3  -  Yorkshire Premier League

Game of two halves, the boys done good and sick as a parrot. All footballing platitudes, but apt to the Hawks narrow defeat to Cleckheaton.
On a miserable wet and windy afternoon the two sides produced a competitive and compelling match that could have been better had the game been allowed a little more flow.
Cleckheaton started the stronger, using the wind to gain territorial advantage and dominating the line-out to release their big centre to barrel down the middle of the field where he floundered against a brick wall defence. Ionians conceded a succession of penalties that mystified the crowd and infuriated their players, and Cleckheaton took the lead with a well struck goal. Being behind spurred the home side and led by no. 8 Danny Hague and second row Kieran Dannett, I’s forwards compensated for their poor return from the lines-out by winning more of the second phase ball. Ionians closed the 1^st half in buoyant mood, the backs starting to move the ball and the forwards making good ground into Cleckheaton territory.
Ionians scrummaging, which had been strong through-out the first half, improved further after the break. The front row of Albert Thundercliffe, Ben Rowe and Andy Gravell gave their opposite numbers a torrid time. Ionians were now in the ascendancy, the majority of play in the Cleckheaton half. Perhaps understandably, given the windy conditions and erratic line-out performance, Ionians opted to scrummage at every opportunity. They spurned the chance to tie the scores by kicking for goal at several penalty chances, going instead for try that would have won the match. Unfortunately they were unable to breach a well organised and tenacious defence and Cleckheaton hung on to the narrowest of victories.