WHARFEDALE'S well-merited victory at Ireland Road exacted satisfying revenge on a Nottingham side whose surprise win at Threshfield in December signalled the first true puncturing of the Greens' promotion hopes.

And although the Dale led throughout in a rousing game, the ultimate victory was only safely secured in the final tense minutes of a match full of lively and positive rugby from both sides.

This result - Wharfedale's seventh victory on their travels - once more reflected their sharper form away from the Avenue, strengthened their grip on a top six finish and left their Midlands opponents still poised on the brink of relegation.

And while Nottingham's precarious plight ensured that this match was no tame end of the season affair, it was the Greens' successful search for the sort of commanding form which has eluded them in recent weeks that made for such a lively and enthralling contest.

With first use of a strong wind, Wharfedale took an early command of proceedings with some fluent and direct play.

An early David Pears penalty was followed by a number of threatening advances before the superior driving power of the Greens' forwards produced a fine try in the corner for John Lawn after a midfield break by Andy Hodgson and a swift switch of direction by Pears.

The outside half then curled a fine touch-line conversion to open up a 10-point lead.

An exchange of penalties between Pears and the impressive home place-kicker, Mike Swetman, punctuated a further period of Dale dominance, during which only the inability of the Green forwards to decide whether they were ball getters or wide stand-out runners impeded scoring.

Then, in an uncanny echo of events last week at the Avenue, the closing stages of the half heralded a transformation of the Greens' fortunes. Richard Lancaster's second successive sin-binning signalled a rush of opposition scoring.

A long and patiently driven maul produced a try for home flanker Mark Bradley and Swetman kicked two fine penalties and converted his own try on the verge of half time.

In reply came a further penalty by Pears, before his third departure through injury in successive weeks, and a final well-stuck goal by replacement kicker Jonathan Davies.

So, having made all the first-half running, Wharfedale found themselves holding a slender 19-16 lead and facing a serious challenge as Nottingham took their turn to use the wind.

To their credit, the Dalesmen responded superbly with a second half display of forward superiority and sustained tactical focus.

Disdaining any wider movement, they concentrated their efforts exclusively on the short forward pick-and-drive game and capitalised on the relative frailty of the slighter home pack. Immediately the Greens looked a more impressive side, with a clear sense of direction, confident execution and will to win.

Having secured an attacking field position, Wharfedale commandeered possession, with the pack playing as an impressive corporate rucking unit.

With expert exponents Hedley Verity, Lawn and Paul Evans giving a forceful and dynamic lead and well supported by David Lister and the rest of the pack, Nottingham were on the rack.

Time and again a mixture of desperation and individual home bravery was required to thwart the Dale, but then slick reaction by Evans produced a charge for the line from the last of a number of controlled and disciplined driving mauls. Davies' conversion on 53 minutes opened up 10-point lead.

But the extent of the wind advantage enjoyed by the home side allowed precious little margin for error, as two long Nottingham penalties by Swetman demonstrated to take the score to 26-22 in Wharfedale's favour.

As dramatic tension mounted in the closing minutes, Nottingham threw everything into a few last minutes of furious challenge, but the Greens, although conceding a rush of last second penalties, were camped sufficiently up field to escape serious threat.

So in their best performance for some weeks, Wharfedale, recorded another satisfyingly away scalp and offered the prospect of better form to provide a positive finish to the season's campaign.

Wharfedale: J. Davies; N. Heseltine, A. Hodgson, G. Johnston, C. Armitage; D. Pears (C. Eccleston, 34), G. Smith; R. Lancaster (C. Ingram, 70), J. Lawn, N. Dickinson, D. Lister, A. Capstick, P. Evans, H. Verity, R. Buckroyd.

Nottingham: B. Murphy; J. Morley, N. Carroll, M. Swetman, B. Clark; T. Rolt, A. Royer; M. Freer, S. Bailey, N. Fowks, M. Monahan, T. Chubb, M Bradley, R. Lloyd, D. Schrafft.