A pleasant afternoon in the sun was marred for the faithful who saw Dale lose by 7 tries to 4. On balance Chester deserved the win but, as one of their coaches admitted, the score flattered them. Two break away tries made this look like an easy win for the home side but it was anything but.
Chester kicked off with the breeze behind them and were soon on the attack. They regathered the kick-off and set up shop in Dale’s half. Three times Dale tried to clear their lines but the ball was fielded by Chester and ran back with interest. The third time it led to a try when Andrew McMinimee ran round the defence to touch down for an unconverted try.
Dale struck back with some equally good rugby. Sam Dickinson competed well at the breakdown and won a penalty. From the successful lineout Dale went through 12 solid phases and had a penalty advantage. Ben Blackwell bulldozed through the defence and offloaded to Louis Verity. Elliot Stockton was on hand to take the scoring pass and Robbie Davidson’s conversion nudged the visitors into the lead.
The visitors looked to have the game under control but then the luck ran out. Dale attacked and were building good phases in the opposition 22 and then the officials decided a good-looking pass was forward and Chester had a scrum in their 22. The ball was launched from the scrum and ran on and on into touch for a 50-22! A few minutes earlier Chester had tried a similar kick but the ball went dead! The Cheshire side won the lineout and after four phases broke through the middle for Harry Graham to touch down. Morgan Bagshaw added the extras.
More horrendous luck was to follow. Dale again seemed to be in total control and 14 phases saw them living in the home side’s 22. They opted for a scrum when a penalty was awarded and ran 1st phase ball to the right. Speedster, McMinimee, grabbed the ball and ran 90 metres unopposed to extend Chester’s lead. The conversion gave Chester an unexpected (and maybe undeserved) 12-point lead.
The Green Machine then joined the party and won a penalty at a Chester scrum. The ball was sent to 14 metres short of the line. The ball was won and an efficient catch and drive saw Robbie Collinson being awarded a try. Davidson was again successful from the tee. Controversy before halftime when Chester were awarded a penalty and the kicking tee was sent on to the field. Chester were allowed to kick for touch and from the lineout went on to score! Ben Ivory touched down and Bagshaw added the two points. So, 26-14 at oranges but the faithful were ever hopeful of turning this round in the second half when Dale would have the breeze behind them.
Chester then turned the wind machine down! The expected charge from the visitors stalled and it was Chester who crossed the whitewash first with George Spalding touching down for an unconverted try. A few penalties by Chester gave Dale good field advantage but no real punishment; even when Oli Riddiough was nearly decapitated! The pack rumbled over from a 5-metre line out with Dan Wills scoring a converted try.
Chester scored next after good work and then a superbly timed offload saw James Hampson clean through for a converted try. Back came Wharfedale with the pack driving Wills over from a 10-metre lineout. Davidson continued his excellent kicking from the tee to bring Dale back into contention and, at least, hoping to secure a second bonus point.
The horror show ended with another interception try for Chester from halfway. Sam Earl-Jones was the scorer and Bagshaw added the conversion.
Wharfedale: – Kaup-Samuels (Howarth 56); Prell, Verity (Stockton 78), Blackwell, Viner; Davidson (Bullock 74), Riddiough; Dickinson (Meehan 66), Collinson (Wills 47), Armstrong, Heys, Stockton (Beecroft 61), Hedgley (c), Weston, Baldwin.