National League Two North: Tynedale 35 Wharfedale 10

FOLLOWING immediately on the exhilarating performance against Hinckley, this match was a major disappointment for the Greens, who were brought back to earth with a resounding bump by tough-tackling and fast-running opponents.

In truth, the final score could well have been worse, Tynedale having missed six shots at the posts. Six tries to one gives a truer reflection of the balance of play.

The Greens were 13-0 in arrears with the first quarter barely over.

Skipper Rob Baldwin conceded a penalty in illegally halting Tyne’s flying winger Aedon Maloney – and was also sent to the sin-bin.

In his absence, the penalty was converted, and then the depleted pack fell to a pushover try credited to lock Graeme Dunn. In the 21st minute, Maloney crashed over in the left corner.

The Greens stopped the rot for a while and even threatened briefly to claw themselves into the game with a penalty try, plus the conversion and a penalty from fly half James Guy, in the closing minutes of the half, changing round at 13-10.

Hopes of a recovery were soon dampened when the second half got under way, however.

The first of four home tries came six minutes after the restart with Dunn’s second score and, while Wharfedale stemmed the surge for the remainder of the third quarter – without themselves seriously threatening the home line – it seemed only a question of time before the speedy Tyne backs broke through again.

The floodgates opened in the final quarter, three further tries (flanker Joe Mills with a brace, and substitute Jonny Mock) cementing a thoroughly- deserved Tynedale victory.