Wharfedale Foresters 55

Sheffield 2nds 12

by David Colgrave

WHARFEDALE Foresters cruised to victory against Sheffield on a bright and breezy day at the Avenue on Saturday.

Sheffield are a strong side with a big pack and they had some good results this year so the Dalesmen, who sporting a number of changes, were expecting a tough test.

The first quarter of the game was a disjointed affair with the Sheffield scrum dominating the set piece and a series of handling errors from both sides making it a very stop start affair.

Ten scrums and half a dozen line-outs in those 20 minutes meant that Wharfedale could not piece together an attack.

However, the highlight of the early stages was a scintillating break from Ralph Wellock that hinted at things to come.

Indeed it was the young Dales centre that opened the scoring following a dropped ball in the Sheffield backline.

This was to be another expensive day for Wellock as he went on to score his third hat-trick of the season. The try was converted by Max Bell.

There was little time for Sheffield to re-group before Ben Parkinson burst through a gap in the Sheffield centre to romp under the posts for a converted try making it 14-0 to the Foresters.

The final score of the half saw the forwards and backs combining to release the supporting Will Lawn to score in the corner. Foresters went into the break up 19-0.

The Foresters built on their confidence early in the second half when Wellock burned both the Sheffield winger and full back to score an unconverted try out wide.

When Sheffield put together some possession, a brilliant one on one tackle from full back Kristian Sharples on a rampaging Sheffield forward prevented a score.

The Forester scrum had worn down Sheffield and began to dominate, and this led to a break down the right by Josh Prell and a nicely timed inside pass gave substitute full-back Ryan Hodgson a try converted by replacement fly half Rory Macnab.

Sheffield scored their first try from a fumbled catch at the resulting kick off but it only stemmed the tide for a moment as Wellock completed his hat-trick from excellent scrum ball to make it 36-5.

Wellock went over again following outstanding back play from Prell and Hodgson. The try was converted by Macnab.

In the final ten minutes the Foresters turned the screw with tries by Joe Metcalfe, converted by Macnab, and Parkinson.

A converted consolation try for Sheffield meant the final score was 55-12 to the Foresters.