Wharfedale will surely be kicking themselves after losing this match. And wondering – having led 15-27 with barely 5 minutes of normal time remaining – how they contrived to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

The Nuns, already condemned to relegation from National One, conjured an improbable, but splendid 3-try surge to turn the game on its head. The Greens, admittedly, did their best to assist the hosts with a combination of sloppy use of the ball, flimsy tackling, and penalties needlessly conceded in dangerous positions.

Undoubtedly, the absence of a number of influential players, plus a tough mid-week cup game, were significant factors in what was a very un-Wharfedale-like capitulation.

It all began well enough, with winger Simon Horsfall’s early try, and as the first half progressed the Greens looked to just have the measure of a team that had won only 5 times this season, and went down 68-18 at Blaydon the previous week. Nevertheless, the Dalesmen had to come from behind twice – a converted try by home lock Llyr Griffiths preceding winger Dave Hall’s interception try (27), and full-back Dan Hart’s try in stoppage time cancelling out one by Nuns full-back Sean Denning (39), leaving the half-time score at 12-15. 

A break by centre Andy Hodgson set up stand-off Luke Gray for a try a minute after the restart, and when flanker Dan Solomi crossed (57), Mark Bedworth converting, the outcome looked settled at 12-27.

Nuns scrum-half Huw Thomas began the fightback with a penalty (65), and then came the rousing finale. Tries by winger Stefan Cooksammy (76) and substitute back Ray White (78), with one conversion, levelled the score. Denning applied the coup-de-grâce in added time with his second try, converted by Thomas, and the 5-point haul that the Dalesmen know they should have secured was reduced to just 2 bonus points.

Wharfedale: D Hart (I Dixon 45); S Horsfall, A Hodgson, M Bedworth, D Hall (S Graham 61); L Gray, P Woodhead (D Matthews 50); B Fear ( N Dickinson 63), M Chivers, C Steel, O Renton (J Mason 76), R Rhodes, A Allen, D Solomi, R Brown.

Nuneaton: S Denning; O Smith, M Moore, K Collins, S Cooksammy; L Roy-Smith, H Thomas; J Taylor, A Bray, S McCarthy, C Wilson, L Griffiths, I Critchley, B Avent, M Aston.

Referee: Richard Kelly