NORTH Ribblesdale have moved up to 10th in the Yorkshire Two league after a narrow win at the weekend.

They hosted Wensleydale at the weekend and squeezed past them 7-5.

The difference was a Mickey Thwaites conversion, after an early try by Matty Close.

Ribb won the toss and played into the wind , but started strongly and full-back, Coultherd, made a break which forced a penalty.

This was kicked into the corner and mauled to the line, where Close went over .

That was the last time Ribb threatened in the first half, as Wensleydale's number 10 used every scrap of ball to kick them into the Ribb 22, but excellent defence kept them out .

There were some scares and Coultherd had to make three try-saving tackles.

The packs were well matched, with the visitors having the more fluent backline.

The visiting 10 was on form, getting his backline moving and putting in some astute kicks.

It was only Ribb's defence which kept them out and the hosts preserved their slender lead until half time.

The second half gave Ribb the wind and the forwards gradually got on top , but they could not find another score.

Wensleydale battled away, but could not penetrate far into the Ribb half and, as soon as Ribb won possession, they put the ball behind the visitors.

The game was tense with Wensleydale just a score away.

This came in the last five minutes when Ribb, in possession in the visitor's half and only having to keep the ball to close out the game, inexplicably kicked it away.

Wensleydale's full back took the ball into the Ribb half and put their left winger away to score in the corner.

But a difficult conversion into the wind was wide and Ribb just squeezed home.

A welcome win against tenacious opponents - the game was not a classic, but Ribb are glad of the points.