Wharfedale 32, Old Albanians 29

In a match that was every bit as tight as the scoreline suggests, Wharfedale returned to winning ways, recording their ninth victory of the season in SSE National League One.

Some confidence was therefore restored following the heavy defeat at Blaydon, but the Greens were made to fight to the last in a nail-biting climax.

Three times in the game, the Dalesmen had clocked up a two-score lead, but the visitors simply refused to lie down.

Even when home fly half Tom Barrett cleared a penalty for 32-22 with just six minutes left – and a man short after skipper and lock Billy Johnson was yellow-carded – Albanians still found the strength to muster a stirring finish.

Scrum half Stefan Liebenberg’s try on 76 minutes, with Lawrence Raynor’s conversion, left Green fans willing referee David Procter to end the proceedings.

Raynor opened the scoring with a seventh-minute penalty, matched by Barrett five minutes later.

A 21st-minute driven try, claimed by hooker Dan Stockdale and converted by Barrett, plus a fine finish by winger Josh Prell on the half-hour put Wharfedale 15-3 to the good.

That comfort margin lasted just five minutes, however. Greens lock Richard Rhodes was sent to the bin and Albanians took instant advantage, forcing a driven try for hooker Brett McNamee, converted by Rayner.

Greens flanker Dan Solomi – man of the match on his first league outing this season – broke superbly to the line from 40 metres out in the 51st minute, but his score was quickly cancelled out by visiting No 8 Hayden Stringer.

Albanians winger Michael Allan’s converted try in the 64th minute equalised the score, setting up a tense finish.

With Johnson absent from the visitors' pack, Wharfedale chose to scrum when awarded a penalty close to the Albanians line.

Their push was halted illegally, the scrum reset, and repeated offending brought the inevitable penalty try in the 72nd minute, Barrett converting before adding a penalty three minutes later, which looked to have made the game safe.

But back came Albanians to finish with two hard-earned and well-deserved bonus points.

Wharfedale: C Georgiou; J Scott, W Bell, T Davidson, J Prell (N Taylor 66); T Barrett, M Dudman; C Steel, D Stockdale (I Larkin 72), B Hooper, R Brown, R Rhodes, J Barnard, D Solomi (J Burridge 66), R Baldwin.