Yarnbury Hornets 25 Wharfedale Thirds 23

WHARFEDALE only lost this Spray Plant (UK) Ltd-sponsored Aire-Wharfe Plate final to a penalty by Danny Pound three minutes into injury-time.

However, the Greens spurned three opportunities early in the second half which could have given them a decisive edge under the Yarnbury floodlights.

Trailing 22-7 at half-time but now with the advantage of a diagonal breeze, the visitors were held back in the opening ten minutes of the second half by a lost line-out following a penalty, conceding possession after a forward drive and a knock-on.

Wharfedale needed something to happen before half-time and, inspired by a break by winger Ralph Wellock, they scored via lock James Ardron in the 36th minute, full back Harris Catley converting.

The visitors then slowly reeled in their pink-shirted opponents via tries from replacement centre Simon Crabtree and a second for Ardron, Catley adding two penalties to give them a 23-22 lead before Yarnbury fly half Pound's late strike.

The sin-binnings of Tom Wareing and Nathan Rogers proved a minor hindrance for the Greens, while the hosts lost Tom Fox to a yellow card and, in the 79th minute, Nathan Benton for a head-butt.