After a long Christmas break it was back to business at the Avenue. A large crowd was treated to cracking entertaining rugby with the home team dominating for long spells and taking the 5 points.
Dale opened the scoring when Oli Cicognini ran on to a simple pass and burst through to touch down. Archie Haddon added the conversion. More pressure saw Otley tied in and a simple cross kick was taken by Own Bullock who crossed unopposed for an unconverted try.
Mistakes in defence allowed Otley time in Dale’s 22 and Harvey Sellers opened the scoring for the visitors and Dan Reed added the extras. Wharfedale responded with more pressure and a superb catch and drive was finished with Dan Stockdale scoring.
The home side opened the scoring in the second half with a penalty by Haddon before they again set up camp in the visitors 22. A catch and drive was finished when Joe Fawcett broke and ran in for a well taken bonus-point try. Haddon added the extras.
Zeb Heys was on hand to follow up a grubber kick to score Dale’s 5th try. Otley’s George Lunn grabbed a second for the visitors on 80 minutes and Reed finished the scoring from the tee.
Wharfedale: –
- S Dickinson, 2. D Stockdale, 3. J Armstrong, 4. Z Heys, 5. G Hedgley, 6.D Wills, 7. J Fawcett, 8. T Beresfor, 9. O Riddiough, 10. J Greig, 11. H Bullough, 12. O Cicognini, 13. J Cherry, 14. O Bulock, 15. A Haddon.
Replacements: – 23. R Ward, 17. R Collinson, 18. R Tweedale, 19. A Weston, 20. O MacNab.
Tries: – Cicognini 3, Bullock 12, Stockdale 20, Fawcett 48, Heys 76.
Conversions:- Haddon 4, 49
Penalty: – Haddon 42
Otley: –
Tries: – Sellers 16, Lunn 80
Conversions: – Reed 17, 80
Star Man: – George Hedgley (Wharfedale)
Halftime – Wharfedale 17-7 Otley
Referee: – David Charlton
Attendance – 606