National League Two North: Stourbridge 19 Wharfedale 8

WHARFEDALE travelled south last Saturday and were disrupted by problems on the M6, but hosts Stourbridge were, as expected, more generous than some clubs. and agreed to a delayed kick-off.

The home crowd and the faithful few that had made it from the Dasles were hoping for an open, attractive game of rugby.

Both sides were also trying to play rugby to cheer the crowd but both sets of supporters were sometimes at a loss as to what was happening on the pitch.

Dale played with a lot more heart and courage than in previous weeks and deserved some reward for their efforts, and the home support commented on the commitment of the visitors and the way they played.

One try apiece was scant reward for the players or the paying public, but Dale should be proud of the way they played.

There was the odd mistake in handling, there was the odd missed tackle but this was an improved performance, with all players getting involved and giving 100 per cent.

Stourbridge had the better of the opening exchanges and it took Dale a few minutes to get into their stride.

Stour opened up with a penalty by Luke White after four minutes and he converted Tatenda Mukarati's try four minutes later.

This was Dale from the match against Sheffield Tigers but after leaking ten points, a different Wharfedale turned up.

Jamie Guy put Dale on the scoreboard with a penalty before White stretched Stour's lead with two more penalty kicks.

Wharfedale's try came from an accurately placed left-footed chip from Rob Baldwin and, with confusion in the defence, Baldwin expertly got another foot to the ball, which the backs and forwards followed up and won a five-metre scrum.

The pack held the setpiece, soon putting Will Lawn over in the corner and, although Guy missed from wide out with the conversion, the deficit had been reduced to 16-8.

History is littered with the “what ifs” and “if onlys” and the talk from the friendly Stourbridge support reflected this and they were grateful for those early ten points.

That same support also commented that they had spent most of the second half looking at the end that the home side were defending.

Dale were certainly giving it their all but the Stourbridge defence was solid and there was now no quarter being given by either side.

Tackling was hard, the breakdown was spirited and both sides were putting their hearts and bodies into the fray.

Up against another bigger set of eight, the Dale forwards held their own, and the statistics on scrums and line-outs only just showed an advantage to Stourbridge.

Dale’s scrum had an 80 per cent success rate, with Stour at 86 per cent.

The Greens' line-out was 73 per cent (their two mistakes coming early), with the Midlanders just ahead on 77 per cent (including two not-straight efforts).

The scrum count does not include the uncontested scrums after Dale lost three props to injury.

After some confusion on the touchline, the referee ran over and ruled that Dale were allowed a substitution.

The only score of the hard-fought second half was a penalty by White, and Dale left with no bonus points but the admiration of the home supporters.

There were a lot more positive developments from this game than in previous weeks. Yes, it was another defeat, but what an improvement.

Stourbridge are a top-five team and the Wharfedale players commented on how hard they were made to work all through the game. The tackling, so berated in recent weeks, vastly improved.

The returning Huw Morgan led the defence by example and by taking charge in certain situations.

All the backs responded and were all involved in defence and showed a hunger in wanting to be involved.

Nobody looked out of place and there was a lot to take into training and on to the pitch next weekend, especially league debutant Ben Parkinson.

The forwards were magnificent and matched Stourbridge blow for blow. Baldwin had a tremendous game, only marginally spoilt by a technical yellow card for lying on the wrong side.

This happened just after the last fit prop came off and briefly Dale were down to 13 men, but the rfeferee intervened and ruled that Wharfedale could send on a replacement.

Wharfedale: Scott Jordan; Ralph Wellock, Harry Bullough (Andrew Hodgson 75), Huw Morgan, Josh Prell (Ben Parkinson 75); Jamie Guy, Will Lawn; Joe Altham (Ian Larkin 36, Alistair Allen 66), Dan Stockdale, James Huck (Matthew Close 41, Joe Altham 48), Alistair Allen (Elliott Ward 59), George Hedgley, Rob Baldwin (captain), Lewis Wilson, Josh Burridge.