Wharfedale finally banished any lingering threat to their National Two status with a 5-star, 5-point performance that simply blew away Westcombe Park. Turning round just 7-3 ahead after a tight first half, the Greens went into overdrive in the second period, adding 5 tries to finish the match in total control.

The visitors, who have enjoyed a successful first season in National Two, and sit in a comfortable 5th place in the table, build their game around a fearsome pack. The forwards have accounted for more than half of Park’s 79 tries – no less than 23 claimed by the back row. However, this time their pack was effectively neutralised by the lighter but faster Wharfedale forwards, and they struggled to find an alternative game-plan.

Park started well enough, pinning the Greens in their own half for the opening 15 minutes. They managed just one penalty, by stand-off James Whittingham, in what was their sole period of concerted pressure in the game. Thereafter, Wharfedale gradually took control of the remainder of the first half, edging ahead with a mauled try (19 mins), scored by prop Chris Steel, and converted by skipper Andy Baggett.

After the interval, the Dalesmen’s grip tightened into a virtual stranglehold. By the end of the 3rd quarter the match was won. Left-winger Simon Horsfall finished off in the corner (45), receiving from Adam Whaites after the full-back had made one of his many mazy runs through the Park defence, and Steel collected his second (50) following a routine maul from a line-out. Both tries were converted from wide out by Baggett (who then made way for Luke Gray to take over at stand-off). Ten minutes later, centre Mark Bedworth – back to confident influential form – crashed over the line for 26-3.

Park enjoyed a brief respite from constant defending when, with home No 8 Rob Baldwin yellow-carded for an almost involuntary ‘professional foul’, they took immediate advantage to send the resulting penalty to touch and maul 10 metres for their own No 8, Tom Hayman, to grab the try (68), Whittingham matching Baggett’s expertise with the conversion.

Further consolation points for the Kent side never looked likely. The Greens saw out the rest of Baldwin’s absence in relative comfort and, restored to full strength, ripped through a tiring defence twice more in the closing minutes. Horsfall’s initial break made the opening for Bedworth’s robustly claimed second try (79), and the winger scored his own well-deserved second in injury time – as for his first, Whaites the final provider. Bedworth’s conversion signalled the final whistle.

Wharfedale: A Whaites; N Baggett, C Malherbe, M Bedworth, S Horsfall; A Baggett (L Gray 53), J Doherty; T Horner (F Lovatt 79), G Hindle, C Steel (B Fear 71), D Lister (D Clements 71), A Capstick, A Allen, R Lednor, R Baldwin.

Westcombe Park: S Naden; L Campion, G Purdy, R Damant, Y du Toit; J Whittingham, G Roux; B McKinnell, J Moyce, S Croall (S Brophy 67), A Preocanin (T Carruthers 56), W Thorpe, I Hardcastle, J Lindfield (B Lonergan 47), T Hayman.

Referee: Mark Wilson