National League Two North: Wharfedale 16 Sheffield 10

WHARFEDALE are off the bottom of National League Two North, leapfrogging beaten visitors Sheffield, after a big effort to clear snow from The Avenue pitch.

Greens' head coach James Doherty praised the band of workers who ensured the match went ahead.

He said: "Stockers (Dan Stockdale) and TD (Tom Davidson) have been riding their tractors since 9am and credit to all of the local volunteers, but particularly Dan and Tom who then had to play in the match."

And while some fans were unhappy that the Greens didn't get a four-try bonus point or that Sheffield went away with a losing bonus point or both, Doherty didn't necessarily agree.

He said: "Conditions were difficult out there, we might have shown a little more patience in their 22 and a couple of chips in midfield were not necessary but the win was the most important thing.

"Everybody contributed, and that is three home wins on the bounce now, but we will have to play better if we want wins in future."

While Stockdale and Davidson got rid of the thin crust of iced snow, which had been protecting the pitch, to ensure that the game went ahead, an army of about 30 volunteers cleared the lines, and the players then ensured that their efforts were worth it.

Wharfedale played uphill in the first half, which was punctuated by both sides losing the ball in contact.

Sheffield understandably kicked for territory, but full back Robbie Davidson and centre Rhys Lovegrove, who went off with a hamstring injury in the 18th minute, showed the early benefits of keeping ball in hand as they ran from deep.

It was Tom Mann – Lovegrove's replacement – who started the attack that led to the home side's first try six minutes later by catching an up and under.

Fly half Tom Barrett and Robbie Davidson then stretched their legs, flanker Kieran Frost continued the thrust and the move was finished off in the right-hand corner by No 8 Josh Burridge, who was making his 100th start for the Dalesmen.

Barrett's conversion attempt from the touchline flew just wide of the far post.

Sheffield winger Rupert Broadley had to be helped off the pitch with an injury immediately after the try, but with the ball seemingly resembling the proverbial bar of soap, the visitors hit back with a penalty by former Otley scrum half Stephen Depledge in the 36th minute.

The half ended with the Greens pressing for a second try, with a Barrett pass being ruled forward and the Dalesmen surprisingly being penalised when they were shunting their opposing eight backwards at a rate of knots.

A combination of errors and solid defences had restricted the number of tries in the first half to one, but two large holes in the Greens' rearguard gave Sheffield an opportunity they would not squander early in the second half.

The south Yorkshiremen showed the utmost patience within Wharfedale's 22, and eventually hooker Sam Graham scored after untold phases, Depledge's conversion extending their lead to 10-5.

Robbie Davidson then slithered into touch on the right to end a promising home counter-attack initiated by Barrett before Stockdale struck in the 55th minute.

Barrett kicked a penalty to the left-hand corner and the hosts won the line-out – something Sheffield could not say very often – and got a drive going for their hooker to plunge over.

The conversion by Barrett went to the right of the posts, but the scores were now level.

Talismanic lock Adam Howard was yellow-carded for a no-arms tackle in the 58th minute, but it hardly seemed to handicap Wharfedale, who went ahead five minutes later when Barrett slotted a penalty from between the 22 and the ten-metre line, but in front of the posts.

Barrett may be a drop-goal specialist, but it was not a day to twice attempt that mode of scoring, but he did add a second penalty in the penultimate minute, although some saw the wisdom of kicking for the corner and attempting to score a second try, which would have robbed Sheffield of a losing bonus point.

The Greens are now one point ahead of their visitors (23-22), and only five points from safety, but now the Dalesmen need to make it four wins on the spin at The Avenue when they face Chester next weekend.