Eleven matches played, and Wharfedale is 4th in the National One table – a situation that pre-season predictions would surely have rated as highly satisfactory. But the Greens will be less than euphoric following a 3rd successive defeat. Their record 6-victory start to the campaign, which saw them hard on the heels of promotion favourites Esher by mid-October, held promise of even better things.

However, this reverse, rather than indicating that the Dalesmen have gone ‘off the boil’, simply underlines the fact that excluding maybe the top 2 teams (and discounting poor Manchester) sides in the division are generally well-matched for quality.

The 3 defeats have all been by less than a score – a losing bonus garnered in each – and the previous 2 (against Newbury and Tynedale) might justifiably have ended in Wharfedale victories.

That is probably less easily claimed for the encounter with ‘the Club’. While just 5 points separated the teams at the close, and the Greens were pressing hard at the final whistle, the hosts, overall, had controlled the bulk of the play.

A strong start by Blackheath had them 13-0 ahead by the end of the opening quarter. A mauled try, claimed by lock Nigel Dewale, plus a fine conversion and 2 penalties from fly-half Paul Humphries, provided the base for a determined, if unimaginative, march to victory.

The Dalesmen, aided by the yellow-carding of home prop Des Brett, began to make their presence felt as the first half ended, and a maiden try by full-back Ian Dixon, sent on his way to the corner by centre Andy Hodgson, raised hopes in the visitors’ camp.

However, they failed to maintain impetus in the third quarter, and slipped further in arrears to 20-5 after a series of scrums near their line (launched following a penalty, and yellow card, awarded against winger Simon Horsfall) eventually resulted in a penalty try (56 mins).

Five minutes later hope was renewed by Dan Matthews’ try (also a league first), the scrum-half grabbing his chance off the side of a driving ruck. Mark Bedworth slotted the conversion from wide out.

Bedworth’s penalty (77) secured the bonus point and set the scene for an exciting finish – but Blackheath, probably deservedly, held out.  

Blackheath: D Caprice; J Tirrell, R Windsor, M Staten, T lewis; P Humphries, A Garva; F Legg, G O’Meira, D Brett, T Bason, N Dewale, R Pike, D Allen, D Packer.

Wharfedale: I Dixon; S Horsfall, A Hodgson, M Bedworth, J Tincknell; L Gray, D Matthews; T Horner, G Hindle (M Chivers 63), N Dickinson (A Mason 80), R Rhodes, O Renton (R Brown 63), L Maka’afi, D Solomi (C Howick 72), R Baldwin.

Referee: Simon McConnell