Blackheath on the end of Dalesmen's backlash

Still smarting from the National League One drubbing received the previous week at the hands of Tynedale, Wharfedale worked off their frustrations on the unfortunate Blackheath, posting eight tries in an expansive and exciting performance.

The visitors had their fair share of possession, but were unimaginative in its use, concentrating their attacks virtually exclusively in forward power-play. This yielded just two pushover tries from a disproportionate expenditure of energy.

Only late in the game, with the outcome determined, did they open up – substitute back Martin Olima’s finish of an incisive move in the 76th minute at last offering the travelling support something to enthuse over.

Flanker David Allen, with the opening score in the seventh minute, was the beneficiary of the Blackheath pack’s stolid struggle to the line following a penalty to touch, and the tactics might have paid off on three further occasions in the first half had it not been for superbly dogged defence by the Greens.

In attack, Wharfedale had flair and speed that was simply too much for the Club’s backs to handle, and by half-time a four-try bonus was already in the bag, courtesy of full back Luke Gray (11 minutes), latching on to a precision kick to the left wing by fly half Mark Bedworth; flanker Latu Maka’afi (18 minutes), sent on his way by Gray’s astute pass; centre Chris Malherbe (27 minutes), the scoring pass coming from fellow centre James Tincknell, and flanker Dan Solomi (36 minutes), on the end of a slick passing move down the left wing.

With the home side minus skipper Rob Baldwin – yellow-carded just before half-time – Blackheath launched a furious onslaught at the outset of the second half, No 8 James Catt claiming their second mauled try in the 48th minute.

Thereafter, the exuberant Dalesmen turned the screw, stretching the visitors’ defence with some sparkling moves.

Bedworth (60 minutes), after his own grubber to the line; Tincknell (64 minutes) with a solo weave round three helpless defenders; winger Simon Horsfall (73 minutes), after Iain Dixon’s telling break, and finally Malherbe (80 minutes), sent clear by substitute hooker Gavin Hindle, hammered in the nails.

Wharfedale: L Gray (P Woodhead 67); I Dixon, C Malherbe, T Tincknell, S Horsfall; M Bedworth, S Cottrell; M Chivers, S Graham (G Hindle 62), N Dickinson, O Renton, A Allen (R Brown 62), L Maka’afi (R Rhodes 70), D Solomi, R Baldwin.

Blackheath: P Humphries; H Staff, R Windsor (F Smith 74), S Hamilton, T Lewis; M Vaughan, L Baldwin (M Olima 62); S Legg (J Knight 62), H Allen (J Cleverly 62), D Brett, N Dewale, T Bason, R Paddick, D Allen, J Catt (R Pike 56).

Referee: Lyr Apgeraint Roberts