AFTER five straight SSE National League One defeats, Wharfedale coach Jon Feeley has admitted that their last-gasp 22-17 home victory over Old Albanian was "much-needed".

However, maybe there was also some justice in the triumph as, once the visitors had unfortunately lost fly half William Magie with a broken leg in a very staccato first half, they deliberately slowed down the tempo of the match.

Albanians also picked up four yellow cards, and only had 14 players on the pitch when Dale's Jack Barnard scored the winning try with four minutes left.

Feeley said: "They had to slow the game down once they had lost their ten and had to regather and re-organise themselves, and it became very difficult for us to create any momentum at all.

"We never had the chance to benefit from consecutive plays but felt that we got the reward that we deserved in the end.

"We have four very good props and two very good hookers but we have a very strong front five now that Simon Willet has come back in with Adam Howard in the second row.

"I reckon we are a match for any pack in the league, as Rosslyn Park found out, and it is a credit to our team spirit that we have players like Mat Freeman, who had played very well the week before we faced Loughborough Students but didn't even get into the squad.

"However, he didn't say anything, worked hard in training during the week and made a difference when he came on against Old Albanian, and was part of the pack when Jack Barnard scored. That is typical of the attitude we have got here at Wharfedale at the moment."

Wharfedale are hoping to have fly half Jamie Guy (infected leg) back on Saturday at Blaydon, winger or full back Lloyd Davies having played in a winning team as his deputy, while James Tyson (ankle) is another who could return.