WHARFEDALE missed a glaring opportunity to pick up much-needed points to improve their parlous position in National Division Two when they were beaten 12-11 at The Avenue by a Harrogate side that never hinted at its lofty position in the league table.

The quality of the re-arranged game against the men from Claro Road was depressing, with neither side able to display a degree of skill that even glimpsed National league status.

That more was expected of Harrogate made the visitors the more culpable, but Wharfedale would be misguided to take refuge behind the fact that they ran the now third-placed club close. Harrogate's technical merit never rose about North One calibre, with lineout chaos the most obvious deficiency, and with even a tokenconversion of territorial pressure and chances into points, the Dalesmen could have won with something to spare.

That they wasted so much effort and spirit - commitment which should have brought them an invaluable two points on a day when the opposition was so far out of sorts - was a frustratingly familiar flaw. That the Dalesmen worked hard, especially up front, where Tony Jackson did a good job at No 8 despite being below peak fitness and David Lister a typically productive effort at the lineout to highlight Harrogate failings, was beyond question.

But while it is easy enough to take heart from the level of endeavour displayed, effort alone will not get them out of their predicament. Neither will lateral running, imprecise handling and a lack of clinical finishing when Harrogate were stretched to breaking point.

It was argued afterwards that a winning side would have nailed this opportunity and there is much truth in that view, but the ability to convert hard-earned scoring chances into points under pressure is the key ingredient that distinguishes professionals from amateurs, not the wage or the admission fee.

Wharfedale managed a try from prop Craig Ingram, who spotted a glaring gap on the tight side of a maul near the visitors' line and seized his chance. That score gave Wharfedale an 8-5 interval lead after full-back Jonathan Davies had opened the scoring with a penalty and centre Jamie Barker had replied with a try for Harrogate after a sustained spell of pressure by the visitors.

Harrogate went ahead again three minutes after the restart when a bout of forward pressure ended in No 8 Richard Wade being driven over, fly-half Lee Cholewa making amends for some lamentable kicking earlier with the conversion from wide on the left.

Wharfedale had their chances to get back into the game and take the lead, especially during the period when Harrogate lock John Dudley was in the sin-bin following a wild tackle on David Lister, but Davies was well wide with a straightforward 30-metre penalty following that offence and then failed to get the ball to Andy Hodgson when a certain try beckoned.

The full-back did manage to close the gap to a point with a penalty mid-way through the half, but as an error-strewn contest ran its full course, the Dalesmen's only other real threat came via a snap drop-goal attempt by fly-half Simon Slater.

Had the attempt found the target, no-one could have complained, but it didn't and the Dalesmen now face a serious test of nerve and skill, particularly the latter.