NORTH Ribblesdale travelled to Wheatley Hills hoping to build on last week's home victory over Wensleydale.

Ribb kicked off with wind at their back and dominated the early exchanges.

Good runs by lock Adam Middleton and centre Ryan Sumner caused panic in the home ranks, and an offside in the centre gave Ribb an early penalty, which Michael Thwaite slotted home to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.

An injury to talismanic flanker John Padley saw him leave the action to be replaced by Frankie Brown.

The Ribb back row tackled hard with Tom Maudsley leading the way. More pressure in the home 22 resulted in another penalty, which Thwaite again converted.

The home side came more into the game and their big forwards made inroads in the Ribb defence.

A wayward clearance kick missed touch and Wheatley drove into the Ribb 22 and the excellent Wheatley second row Jack Clayton crashed over for a converted try to give them a 7-6 lead.

With half-time approaching, the Wheatley forwards drove up field and the ball was spun wide to the left wing who dotted down in the corner to give the hosts a 12-6 half-time lead.

Early in the second half, a deep kick into the Ribb 22 caused panic in the visitors' defence and a hurried clearance kick was charged down and the alert Wheatley hooker picked up and steamed in under the sticks for a converted try.

Ribb came back again and a good break up the touchline by Middleton was stopped, but Ribb spun the ball back inside and from the resulting ruck Omari Kaup-Samuels made a snipping run which took him past several defenders and neat sidestep saw him score under the posts for a converted try, making the score 19-13.

The visitors came under huge pressure from the Wheatley stand-off, who pinned Ribb in their 22 and another attempted clearance kick was charged down and Wheatley had another converted try.

Another try followed soon after. The big home forwards, led by Clayton, drew in Ribb defenders, resulting in space out wide and the right winger scored a converted try in the corner to make it 33-13.

With 20 minutes left, the rampant home side scored another try through Clayton but the conversion was missed 38-13.

Ribb dug deep and Sumner intercepted on half way and made the long run to the try line pursued by several would be tacklers and managed to evade them all to fall over under the posts for a converted try to cut the lead to 38-20.

The Sumner try seem to galvanise the visitors and from an excellent passage of play, prop Chris Lambert gave a sublime inside pass to the returning Jake Nowell, who scored in the corner to make it 38-25.

Ribb went all out to get their forth try, which would have given them a well deserved point, but the home defence held firm and game ended 38-25.

It was a battling display from Ribb but they will be disappointed to come away empty handed and will look back at the 10 minutes before half-time and 20 minutes after where the game got away from them.

Middleton, Maudsley and Lambert all caught the eye in the pack and in the backs Sumner and Kaup-Samuels caused problems for the home defence all game.

This Saturday Ribb host Yarnbury at Grove Park and will be looking to return to winning ways.

Duncan Brown