WHARFEDALE Foresters have been praised for their part in the revival of the first team, who have won two of their last three matches in National League Two North.

Head coach James Doherty said: “I spoke to the second team last Thursday and told them how pleased I was with their attitude.

“It breeds competition for places, which is vital, and we had players coming back via the Foresters last weekend, such as Phil Woodhead and Adam Howard, who also got 40 minutes the weekend before.”

Of course, the Green Machine are not out of the woods yet, but their 27-21 victory at home to Chester on Saturday, which followed their 19-12 home win over Scunthorpe a fortnight before, has pulled them out of the relegation places.

Wharfedale have taken 11 points from their last six matches to climb to 12th but as Doherty warned: “It is so very, very tight down there and it isn’t an us-and-them league.

“Anyone can genuinely beat anyone else, although there are a couple of teams who have been very consistent, and we are playing one of them on Saturday (leaders Caldy away).”

Last Saturday’s victory over Chester seemed like a classic game of two halves, with the Dalesmen leading 21-3 at half-time but only triumphing by six points in the end.

Doherty said: “The first half was one of our most accomplished 40 minutes of the season – we were very, very good and kicked the ball at the right time, ran more than we kicked and showed a good shape. Our defence was also excellent in the first half.”

Lewis Wilson is on British and Irish cup duty with Yorkshire Carnegie so Alistair Allen starts in the second row with George Hedgley switching to flanker at Caldy.

Four players returning from injury, Adam Howard, Elliott Ward, Phil Woodhead and Scott Jordan join James Huck on the bench.

Wharfedale: Harry Bullough; Robbie Davidson, Andrew Hodgson, Tom Davidson, Oli Cicognini; Tom Barrett, Jimmy Bullough; Joe Altham, Dan Stockdale, Toms Asejevs, Richard Rhodes, Alistair Allen, George Hedgley, Tom Whyte, Josh Burridge (c). Replacements James Huck, Adam Howard, Elliott Ward, Phil Woodhead, Scott Jordan