WHARFEDALE put on another dominant performance to back up last week’s win away at Otley, to see off Hull Ionians by a scoreline of 39-19.

A knock-on from the hosts denied them an early score, but Robbie Davidson soon took Dale into the lead with a 44-metre penalty.

The hosts then displayed a great deal of ball retention, with their forwards and backs combining well, and it resulted with a five-metre lineout. An effective catch and drive was finished by Robbie Collinson.

Dale extended their lead despite losing the ball, as a superb counter-ruck was finished by Louis Verity who collected the ball to dive over. Robbie Davidson narrowly missed both conversions.

Wharfedale’s third try was superb; Rob Baldwin, Oliver Cicognini and Josh Prell combining brilliantly to run the ball up to half way. It was then quickly recycled and moved to Robbie Davidson who broke through the centre to score under the posts. He added the extras himself.

Hull started the second half well, grateful capitalising on a couple of Wharfedale mistakes as they got on the scoreboard after a good catch and drive, with Alexander Forth touching down for an unconverted try.

The home side again built through the phases and came close to the line but seemed to lose the initiative by holding on. The kick to touch fell into the grateful arms of Ryan Hodgson who seemed to be given the freedom of midfield to run from deep in his own half up to I’s 22.

The forwards took over and a surge from Baldwin took the play up to the line but his offload was not taken cleanly. Dale secured a bonus point with an unconverted try by Josh Burridge after good handling and support play by Cicognini and Sam Dickinson.

Again, Hull were given the ball in Dale`s 22 with some poor discipline by the hosts, which also earned Jake Armstrong a yellow card.

The visitors scored another try from a catch and drive with Forth grabbing his second and Lewis Minikin converting.

Any momentum that the Humbersiders were building was stopped in midfield by a jackal by Cicognini and then Burridge.

The Dalesmen secured the ball from a lineout on their own ten-metre line. Ben Markey broke the gain line and offloaded to Verity who carried the ball well into I’s half. A quick ball was set up by Baldwin and then fed to Cicognini who sold a dummy and ran in from 35 metres. Davidson converted.

Hull were rewarded when Lucas Powell dived over for their third try. This was converted by Minikin to close the gap to 13 points.

The scoring was finished off, from another efficient catch and drive, by Ben Patchett for Dale. Davidson slotted the extras.

Wharfedale captain, George Hedgley, reflected after the game: “We dominated the first half and our discipline was good and mistakes were virtually non-existent.

“Our standards were not as high in the second half, and we allowed them some territory and possession which they used well. Our quality and work rate was enough to see us through and showed that this squad really works together.”

Wharfedale Hodgson; Prell, Cicognini, Verity (Pinder 79), Kaup-Samuels; Davidson, Darwin; Dickinson (Meehan 64), Collinson (Patchett 64), Armstrong, Stockton (Green 66), Hedgley (c), Pinder (Burridge 49), Markey, Baldwin (Beresford 66)