National League One: Wharfedale 0 Hartpury College 45

IF Dale were taught a lesson by Loughborough Students the previous week then the students from Gloucestershire hammered the message home on a cold day in North Yorkshire.

Dale competed well in the first half and were in contention turning round to have the slope in their favour and only trailing by 12 points.

The home support’s optimism soon dwindled, however, as the students went up through the gears and began to show why they are top of the table.

Wharfedale’s mistakes were again costly. A promising attack from halfway broke down after a wild pass and ended with desperate defence and a five-metre scrum for Hartpury.

A good shove held in the defence and scrum half Benjamin Vellacott nipped over to open the scoring in the right-hand corner, Lloyd Evans mising the conversion.

Wharfedale gave a good account of themselves and looked to be hanging on until half-time but the referee decided that a Hartpury rolling maul had been pulled down and awarded a penalty try, Evans adding the two points to go in 12 points ahead.

The second half saw the students score five more tries to see Wharfedale’s supporters exiting early.

Tries from Jake Polledri, Steve Leonard, a second for Vellacott, George Evans and another penalty try, with Evans converting four out of five, led to a drubbing for the Green Machine.