Wharfedale win tense game against Redruth

10:41am Monday 18th February 2008

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Wharfedale 17 Redruth 10

Wharfedale deservedly won this full-blooded, exciting National League Two match.

But their combative opponents, just as eager as their hosts for points in a battle against relegation, ensured that tension remained high up to the final whistle.

It should have been less nerve-wracking for anxious home fans.

Wharfedale's first-half dominance might have resulted in a match-deciding lead but for stubborn and, at times, simply heroic defending by Redruth.

As it was, the 8-0 interval margin left the game up for grabs - and with Redruth pouncing eagerly on second-half errors to pull back to 11-10 by the end of the third quarter, The Avenue was no place for dodgy tickers!

However, the Dalesmen got over the spell of what coach Peter Hartley referred to post-match as "over-excitement" to close out the game with a couple of late penalties from skipper Andy Baggett.

Early exchanges were confined to the Redruth half and the Greens took a 5-0 lead in the fourth minute, winger Simon Horsfall receiving from full back Adam Whaites to finish off in the left corner.

Redruth fly half Luke Cozens should have converted a straight-forward penalty after 21 minutes in a rare Cornish sally into home territory, but for the majority of the half Redruth were forced to defend incessant Wharfedale attacks, Whaites, in particular, causing frequent panic with incisive breaks.

Centre Chris Malherbe sent Rob Baldwin clear to the line on the half hour but the No 8's foot clipped the touchline en route. A tremendous two-min-ute tussle within feet of the visitors' line ended without a score and the Greens had to be content with the addition of just a 37th-minute Baggett penalty.

Wharfedale lost fly half Luke Gray with a groin injury as the second half got under way, Mark Bedworth coming on for his first outing following his three-month injury absence.

Maybe the forced reorganisation played a part in disrupting the Greens' flow. Baggett's 50th-minute penalty made it 11-0 but then the game suddenly took a dramatic turn.

Redruth made the most of Wharfedale's involuntary ass-istance - careless passing when promisingly placed in enemy territory offering regular opportunities for counter-attack - with a Cozens penalty in the 52nd minute and a fine try in the right corner by winger Lewis Vinnicombe five minutes later, spendidly converted by Cozens.

Anxiety on both sides resulted in yellow cards (professional fouls') for Redruth lock Damian Cook and Wharfedale flanker Dave Muckalt and, after Baggett had edged his side to 14-10 with his third penalty in the 71st minute, finally a red for Redruth scrum half Mark Richards, who had taken a violent dislike to Baldwin.

Baggett's injury-time penalty sealed the four points.