WHARFEDALE coach Tom McGee is proud of many aspects of his team's performances but wants his players to be at it from the off for the rest of the season, rather than going behind before they play their best rugby.

Admittedly, the referees have done the Greens few favours in their last two National League One matches but the former prop reflected on their 25-10 defeat at Esher last Saturday by saying: "We played much better in the second half and won it 7-0.

"The way that we played and the response during the second half is more like how we, and I, want to play in the second half of the season.

"We looked a lot more positive and decisive, defended with urgency and aggression, basically upped our game in everything we did, which allowed us to get in good field positions, apply pressure and win the half.

"But you see that in other sports such as football when teams go down to ten men, and it is a weak trait that we don't do it from the first whistle."

However, as in the 32-28 home defeat to Fylde on Saturday, December 19, there were mitigating circumstances for the defeat.

McGee said: "Disappointingly, and confusingly, we received two yellow cards (Rob Baldwin and Steve Graham) for only two offences in our 22, which resulted in heavy points against us.

"I have no complaints about our yellow cards, which were for technical offences.

"However, Esher gave away six penalties in their 22 when we were in positive positions moving forward and not one card was shown.

"That would have had a bearing on the game – possibly not the end result as we weren't good enough in the first half.

"I do not want to moan about officials but you want consistency from players as coaches, and both players and coaches want exactly the same from referees."

Second-from-bottom Wharfedale face fellow bottom-four club Blaydon at The Avenue in an eminently winnable game, and McGee is determined that the hosts sort out their scrum.

"It gives me no great pleasure to say that, as it is a part of the game that I specialise in, but it is a platform for the rest of our game. We need to perform powerfully there."