Wharfedale Foresters 8 Blaydon 2nds 8

ONLY two matches gone and the new Northern Pilot League is showing signs already of being a cracker.

The Wharfedale hierarchy have strived to find good, competitive matches for the Foresters for years and it looks as if their wishes have been met met.

Wharfedale followed up their last-kick win over Harrogate Georgians with a hard-earned draw against a Blaydon side that has drawn its opening two games.

And there's every chance of another close encounter this Saturday when Tynedale, who drew with Blaydon on the opening day of the season, visit the Avenue.

The players will be hoping for a decent playing surface as the recent spate of wet and muddy pitches hampers their style of rugby.

There were times in Saturday's tough game with Blaydon that they attempted to play too much rugby in the bad conditions in the middle of the field.

Blaydon took the game to the home side and forced the Greens to make a mistake in their 22 which led to an unconverted try.

The home side hit back and counter attacked allowing Tom Whyte, thankfully returning to the fray, to go over for one of his typical scores.

Just before half-time the home side conceded another penalty, which Blaydon converted and the whistle blew at 8-5 to the visitors.

The home pack stood up well in the testing conditions. The front row of consisted Joe Altham, Jake Parkinson and James Huck played consistently well throughout, while Tom Baines and Rhys Davies ensured that the line-out functioned better than against harrogate.

The back row trio of Jack Kitching, Matt Hall and Whyte tackled their hearts out when the Greens were defending.

The backs struggled throughout to obtain fluency on the glue-pot pitch, but they did defend admirably.

Full back Robbie Davidson, for some reason not awarded kicking duties today, despite his heroics the previous week, made several telling bursts, as did centres Simon Crabtree and Andy Rhodes.

Mid way through the second half the Foresters obtained a penalty, slotted over by Rhodes to make it 8-8.

The slogging contest went on with replacements George Altham, Nathan Myers, Jake Starkey, Ben Parkinson, Morgan Davies and Jimmy Bullough putting their heart and soul into the contest to no avail.

With one minute to go Wharfedale had a chance to win the game when they were awarded a penalty.

Unlike the previous week, the ball sailed wide of the posts and perhaps it was justice, as on this day neither side deserved to lose.

Foresters: Robbie Davidson, Ralph Wellock, Simon Crabtree, Andy Rhodes, Josh Prell, Harry Bullough, Max Bell, Joe Altham, Jake Parkinson, James Huck, Tom Baines, Rhys Davies, Jack Kitching, Matt Hall, Tom Whyte.

Replacements: George Altham, Jake Starkey, Nathan Myers, Ben Parkinson, Morgan Davies, Jimmy Bullough.