Wharfedale Foresters 71 York 2nds 0

FORESTERS youthful side had to call on a front row with an aggregate age of almost 150 years in the closing stages when they also had two father and son combinations on the field.

Club stalwarts Neil Dickinson, John Lawn, John Metcalfe and Robbie Burnett were drafted in as replacements when late first-team call ups depleted the Foresters’ squad.

It meant that John Lawn and John Metcalfe got the chance to play alongside their sons Will and Joe respectively, when they joined the action in the second half.

It was soon clear that whenever Wharfedale attacked there was a chance that points would appear.

The first try was scored by Will Lawn after good controlled passing by the home team. Andy Rhodes slotted over the conversion.

York’s heavier forwards tried exerted a spell of pressure before Morgan Davies crashed over for a try which Rhodes again converted.

It was clear that the plucky York side were in for a torrid afternoon. Their plight might even have been worse than it was if and Foresters hadn’t made some poor decisions and indulged in some showboating.

There was a period of sloppy play before a good break from Will Lawn put Ben Parkinson for a try.

Wingers Oliver Whyte and Ralph Wellock dashed for tries and Rhodes added a conversion as the lead was stretched to 31-0 at the break.

The York team were finding it difficult to stop the home backs whenever they had possession but managed to keep the score down with a couple of last-ditch tackles.

The first try of the second half was scored by Whyte after a well-directed kick by Rhodes, who added the conversion.

Whyte completed his hat-trick when he finished off another fine move. The conversion by Rhodes made it 45-0.

The Foresters were now subjecting York to sustained pressure and there was no stopping Nick Atkinson or Will Lawn adding two more tries, the latter converted by Rhodes.

York deserved something for their gallant efforts but it wasn’t to be. Wellock and Whyte went over for further tries with the latter one converted by Rhodes.

York, who host Foresters in the return fixture this Saturday, looked like scoring in the closing minutes until veteran John Metcalfe pulled down the scrum and was yellow carded.