Wharfedale RU
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Seventh successive win lifts Greens up the table
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| Wharfedale's Simon Horsfall who sustained injury in the game against Blaydon |
Wharfedale 33
Blaydon 10
While the Wharfedale performance in this robustly contested match fell somewhat short of the champagne offerings of recent games, they were ultimately good value for a seventh successive home victory.
The win lifts the Greens another place in the National Two table to sixth - a highly creditable position that could hardly be imagined only five weeks ago, when the threat of possible relegation still loomed large.
The flowing attacking play that Wharfedale fans have become almost accustomed to of late was on show only in patches. But there were enough really very good parts in this curate's egg' to send supporters home well-satisfied.
A vintage Hodgson try, the Greens' third, which came at a crucial stage in the second half, was alone worth the price of admission.
Blaydon, who made the expected stern fight of things throughout, will probably feel hard-done by the ultimate margin of their defeat.
However, they know that the lack of discipline that coloured their enthusiastic approach, and irritated referee Mark Wilson into waving yellow cards at substitute prop Paul Winter and centre Adam Dehaty in the first half and lock David Guthrie - their skipper - midway through the second, contributed significantly to their downfall.
Though just one of the Dalesmen's five tries was scored while the visitors were deficient in number, it was clear by the end that the extra effort involved in defending (at one period with just 13 men) had taken its toll on Blaydon legs.
The Crows began the match in full flight, with their powerful pack making regular ground in driving mauls, and it was no surprise when they converted a five-metre line-out from a penalty into a push-over try for flanker Andrew Wright in the eighth minute.
The Greens responded strongly. Skipper Andy Baggett, whose assured goal-kicking has been a feature of the Greens' improved
fortunes, must have been disappointed with his 10th minute penalty miss, but he had no trouble with the conversion of lock David Lister's try five minutes later, after the pack had driven eight metres from a line-out.
Winter, who hardly had time to get warm after replacing the injured James Isaacson, was dismissed on 23 minutes, and Dehaty joined him four minutes later.
Self-inflicted trial though it was, the visitors earned admiration for their determined defence as the Greens strove vainly to take advantage of their numerical superiority. One surge over the Blaydon line was ruled ball held up', and crossing' negated an otherwise promising backs movement, but that was as close as the hosts came.
With team strengths equated once more, play settled into even exchanges until the 39th minute, when left-winger Simon Horsfall's forceful break, handing off two would-be tacklers, opened up the Blaydon defence. Via centre Mark Bedworth and scrum-half James Doherty, the ball was switched swiftly to full-back Adam Whaites, whose pace took him through to the posts, leaving Baggett a routine conversion.
A minute later, the good work was undone. Bedworth's penalty fell short of touch, the ball was returned high by left-winger Andrew Fenby and a fumble gifted the ball to Blaydon centre Martin Shaw who had a clear run-in to the line. The conversion was missed, but the game was on a knife-edge at the break, at 14-10.
Blaydon tore at the Greens' defence from the restart, pinning the hosts inside their 22 for fully 12 minutes. Several times in this hectic period it seemed they must score, and re-take the lead, but the Dalesmen doggedly refused to yield to the pressure.
The siege was lifted by Bedworth's long hack downfield when the frustrated visitors spilled the ball in an over-ambitious cross-field move. Blaydon survived a melee on their line, but the tide had turned. Suddenly, it was Wharfedale calling the shots.
In the 53rd minute a Blaydon scrum was turned, and from the re-set the ball was whipped out towards Andy Hodgson, in centre-field, on the Blaydon 22. The pass was to his feet, but he collected cleanly. Then, from a standing start, and facing a defence that was poised and
waiting, Hodgson weaved his way through four attempted tackles to touch-down surely the individual try of the season.
The converted try, opening up a two-score margin, clearly lifted the Greens, who dominated the final quarter. The penalty from Guthrie's dismissal was sent to a close touch. With the home pack now in command of the forwards battle, hooker Gavin Hindle's try (66), after the customary clean catch by Lister and steady mauled advance, had an inevitable air about it.
Bedworth (kicking for goal after Baggett had given way to Luke Gray at stand-off), conscious that his touch-kicks had been generally below-par, took the difficult conversion shot. It flew dead centre, only to drop inches short.
However, with the Greens now pounding the Blaydon line, another chance seemed certain. Horsfall and Doherty each went close before the latter scored a trademark 'burrowed' try as the match entered stoppage time. Bedworth made no mistake with this kick.
In the final minutes, fans watched anxiously as Horsfall received lengthy attention on the pitch before being stretchered off and taken to hospital with a suspected neck injury.
Later, good news arrived that, apart from feeling sore, Simon pronounced himself to be 'OK'.
Wharfedale: A Whaites; A Hodgson, C Malherbe, M Bedworth, S Horsfall (D Charnley 78), A Baggett (L Gray 62), J Doherty; T Horner (P Altham 80), G Hindle, C Steel, D Lister, A Capstick (O Renton 56), A Allen, R Lednor, R Baldwin.
Blaydon: S Barber; B Mercer, M Shaw, A Dehaty, A Fenby; R Windle (F Burdon 39), G Charlton; A Harrison, M Hall (M Darlington 70), J Issacson (P Winter 33), D Guthrie, D Whitehead, E Gesinde, A Wright, J Smithson.
Referee: Mark Wilson
12:17pm Thursday 17th April 2008
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