WHARFEDALE coach Jon Feeley was delighted with his players’ discipline as they started their SSE National League One campaign with a plucky 30-25 victory at newly-promoted Hartpury College.

The hosts, who only had six players aged over 20, were expected to play a fast and loose game.

However, they surprised Feeley by adopting a physical approach, which led to No 8 Lewis Ludlow being sent off in the tenth minute for stamping, while prop Daniel Thomas was sin-binned in the second half for repeated infringements.

“There were a number of off-the-ball incidents and I didn’t expect them to be indisciplined,” said Feeley of the students.

“I am really pleased that we managed to keep 15 players on the pitch the whole time.

“We had injuries to cope with but pretty much kept to our game-plan. They had four or five players with Premiership experience and were happy to mix it.

“I was happy with the result and also really pleased with our line-out, which was accurate.

“But our physio has been working hard this week to get our players back on the pitch.”

On Saturday, the Greens face another promoted club in Darlington Mowden Park at The Avenue.

Feeley added: “Last season, the three promoted clubs went down, but that won’t happen this year. You only have to look at the players Darlington have signed for example and the energy of the sides that have come up.”

James Doherty, who suffered a slight groin injury at Hartpury, is not considered, so Philip Woodhead resumes the scrum-half position he occupied to such effect last season.

Lock Richard Rhodes, making his 88th start for the Greens, will captain the side for the first time in Doherty’s absence.

Scott Jordan moves to full-back, with Matt Van Sertima taking over on the wing. The number ten shirt goes to homegrown product Harry Bullough, making his debut in National One. The pack is unchanged, but the bench includes promising 18-year-old Tom Burridge.

Mowden Park are Wharfedale’s 62nd opponents in their 19 seasons in the third tier of English rugby.

Mowden Park, now based in their 25,000-seater Northern Echo Arena, lost to a last-minute try to 14-man Blaydon in their opening game.

Wharfedale: Scott Jordan; Matt Van Sertima, Cameron Hudson, Tom Davidson, Oliver Cicognini; Harry Bullough, Philip Woodhead; Matt Beesley, Ian Larkin, Jake Armstrong, Simon Willet, Richard Rhodes (c), Josh Burridge, Chris Howick, Rob Baldwin.

Replacements: Joe Altham, Dan Stockdale, Adam Howard, Tom Burridge, Will Be