Despite the margin of defeat, this was a commendable performance by a Wharfedale side depleted by absentees and injury. Already expecting to face the league leaders without the services of key players in full-back Andy Hodgson and locks Alastair Allen and Oliver Renton (personal commitments, entered into when 6th February was listed as a ‘blank’ day), they were further hit by late call-offs by stand-off Mark Bedworth (unwell) and hooker Gavin Hindle (injured in the warm-up).

However, the re-jigged side – Iain Dixon moving to full-back, Luke Gray to stand-off, Martin Chivers playing the full match at hooker – acquitted themselves with considerable honour. While Esher’s overall superiority was never in question, a closer outcome would not have flattered their visitors.

Esher began in flamboyant style, incisive running bringing 3 converted tries within the opening 15 minutes. Hot-shot goal-kicker Sam Ulph converted the scores of centre Seb Jewell and No 8 Shawn Rennick before adding the extras to his own touch-down.

Having absorbed those set-backs, the Greens showed they too could attack with menace. Gray’s lofted kick towards the corner was gathered by Simon Horsfall (21 mins), the winger rounding a defender to finish close to the posts – Gray completing what he had started with the conversion.

Ulph scored and converted his second try (31), but 4 minutes later Dixon – probably Wharfedale’s most influential player on the day – responded with a fine individual try. He broke from the half-way line, kicking on and collecting again before going over in the corner.

28-12 down, the Greens began the second half strongly, pegging the home side back for a 10-minute spell of concerted pressure. The defence held, however, and once Esher had raised the mini-siege they set about consolidating their victory with clinical professionalism. Not, now, in the mood for ‘running everything’, they concentrated on sheer forward power, as the visitors tired.

Tries from scrum-half Darrick Cowley (53), lock Rod Turner and Rennick marked another stage on their march to the Championship. Sam Ulph’s amazing achievement of 37 consecutive successful shots at the posts (penalties and conversions) – a key factor in his team’s huge tally of points this season – was at last consigned to the record book when he missed the conversion to Turner’s touch-down.     

Esher: N Hallett; S Ulph, N Taylor, S Jewell, J Hylton; D Slemen, D Cowley; T Tunnicliffe, K Corrigan, T Warren, R Anderson, R Turner, L Starling, S Stitcher, S Rennick.

Wharfedale:  I Dixon (M Simpson 74); S Horsfall, J Tincknell, C Malherbe, D Hall; L Gray, S Cottrell (D Matthews 70); A Mason, M Chivers, C Steel (N Dickinson 59), J Mason (T Wareing 72), R Brown, L Maka’afi, D Solomi, R Baldwin.

Referee: Paul Knowles