Hull Ionians 15, Wharfedale 16

WHARFEDALE survived conceding a last-gasp penalty to snatch victory after an entertaining and exciting match that had just about everything.

The Greens had headed into the game on the back of seven straight defeats and propping up the National League One table.

The first half belonged mostly to Ionians, with their powerful pack making life difficult for the visitors in the set-pieces, and they capitalised on territorial ascendancy and pressure with two tries within five minutes.

The first came through winger Aquile Smith, who finished off a defence-stretching move in the right corner, before lock Joe Makin took the honour on behalf of the pack after a smooth push-over try.

Scrum half Isaac Green added a conversion and a penalty and might have had further chances had skipper Makin not persistently opted for penalties to touch.

Wharfedale repeatedly dug deep to thwart the threatening drives by the home forwards and, dogged as ever, maintained a foothold in the game thanks to two James Guy penalties to make the score 15-6 at the break.

The second half was a dramatically different story as the Greens dominated proceedings and clawed their way to a 16-15 lead by 63 minutes.

Centre Cameron Hudson marked his welcome return to the side following injury by crashing over for a jubilant try on 52 minutes, Guy converting. The stand-off then added what turned out to be a crucial 35-metre penalty.

Hull almost stole the points in the dying seconds after they won a penalty in a very kickable position. But James Ferguson's kick sailed narrowly wide of the posts to spark ecstatic celebrations in the Wharfedale camp as they moved off the bottom of the table.