Wharfedale, defending a 100% home record, found themselves on the back foot for the bulk of the first half of this keenly contested match. Tynedale, generally sharper, and quicker to the break-down than their hosts, were good value for their 15-6 advantage at the interval.

5-0 down to a 7^th-minute try by Tyne’s left-winger Hamish Smales, who plunged over after taking a snap tap penalty, the Greens saw little of the visitors’ half in the opening quarter. Their task then became much harder, with lock Alastair Allen red-carded for stamping in a maul.

A yellow card for Tyne’s No 8 Alistair Murray followed shortly afterwards, and centre Mark Bedworth slotted the attendant penalty (25 mins).

Three minutes later the dominant Tyne pack mauled to the line following a penalty to touch, hooker Joseph Graham claiming the touch-down, stand-off Stuart Hall converting.

The Greens almost managed an immediate riposte. Lively stand-off Luke Gray hacked on a loose ball from 30 metres out but, harried by 3 defenders, failed narrowly to reach his final kick ahead for a touch-down.

Hall and Bedworth swapped penalties in the closing minutes of the half, leaving the visitors happy with a 2-score margin. 

The Greens looked a different team after the break, and despite being a man short – at least until Tynedale tried to level matters up late in the game, with substitute prop Kevin Showler and flanker Grant Beasley both yellow carded for persistent offending – had the better of the exchanges throughout the second half.

Had Bedworth had better luck with his 6 penalty chances of the half – succeeding with 3 – the Greens might well have turned the game round. As it was, with Hall confidently slotting both of his own shots at goal, the Dalesmen’s increasingly frenetic efforts ultimately earned just a losing bonus point – a scant reward, but which turned out to be sufficient for them to retain third place in the National One table.

Wharfedale: I Dixon (D Hall 77); J Tincknell, A Hodgson, M Bedworth, S Horsfall; L Gray, D Matthews; T Horner, G Hindle, N Dickinson (M Chivers 69), O Renton (R Rhodes 69), A Allen, L Maka’afi, D Solomi, R Baldwin.

Tynedale: J Mock; P Cole, C Ingall, B Duncan, H Smales; S Hall, M Outson; J Williams, J Graham, D Dickinson, B Marshall, D Whitehead, G Beasley, G Rastall, A Murray.

Referee: Ross Campbell