Youngsters get their chance as Wharfedale have a run out (From Craven Herald)

Youngsters get their chance as Wharfedale have a run out

7:10am Friday 18th August 2006 in Sport By Sportsdesk

WHARFEDALE rolled out a couple of newcomers and some up and coming youngsters when they took on Sedgley Park in a pre-season friendly last Friday night.

As it was only a practice match, using roll-on, roll-off replacements, the score was fairly irrelevant, it was more about getting the players some match practice.

Among the new faces was Neil Baggett, the brother of Wharfedale captain Andy Baggett.

Neil, who previously played for Middlesbrough played at full back in a match in which Park just about claimed the honours with a 27-26 scoreline in their favour.

The match was played in four spells of 20 minutes with various players tried out.

Another newcomer who showed up well was Michael Walker-Fitton from Burnley who had an excellent game in the second row.

Youngsters who have come up through the club's ranks who got a run out and managed to impress were props Mark Harrison and James Hastings-Trew along with Oliver Purseglove.

A brace of tries from Matty Langstaffe, plus one apiece for Chris Malherbe and Mark Bedworth earned a virtual draw' with the National One side.

Wharfedale probably felt they were the winners as they were about to score when the floodlights failed with five minutes left!

All in all it was a very satisfactory performance by a squad of some 30 players, all of whom featured in a four-quarter match that would have given coach John Lawn plenty of pointers as he considers his options for the two further friendlies.

These are against Kendal tomorrow, at The Avenue with a 3pm kick-off and at Cleckheaton next Friday, kick-off 7.30pm.

One regular first-team player not involved was flanker Rob Lednor, who is spending his second university year in New Zealand.

After finishing a creditable fifth in the National Two table last season it won't take Wharfedale long to find out whether they will be contenders in the coming season.

Their first two matches are against the clubs which finished ahead of them last season.

On September 2 they travel to Esher, who led last season's charge for promotion up to Christmas, then the Green Machine has a home game against fourth-placed Launceston, against whom Wharfedale's matches last season could hardly have been closer.

Then in week three it's off to Harrogate, whose start will have been a little more gentle, at home to newly promoted Cambridge, then away to Henley.

Wharfedale's home Yorkshire derbies are: November 11Bradford & Bingley, December 23 Harrogate, and 14 April Halifax.