On a blustery windy day Wharfedale entertained Blackburn in a friendly pre-season match which would include up to 30 players for new Head Coach Simon Verbickas to assess.
The game was split into three 30 minute sessions of which Blackburn won the toss and kicked off with the slope and wind.
After sustained pressure through multiple penalties and possession, Blackburn opened the scoring with a well worked try by Jake Foster, converted by Josh Jarrod
The rest of the period was stalemate until Jake Foster crossed in the corner and Josh Jarrod converted to make the score 0 – 14.
The second period saw a Wharfedale revival where good work by the back row in winning the ball, feeding Oscar Canny to draw the defence and leave Sam Gaudie a run in for a try, converted by Tom Davidson, score 7 – 14
Next Wharfedale won a turnover for the ball to be fed to James Coulton to make a break and feed Robbie Davidson to score a try, converted by brother Tom, score 14 – 14.
After a period of solid possession, Blackburn’s Tom Mayoh made a mazy run to touch down under the posts, converted by Josh Jarrod, score 14 – 21
Following some impressive ball handling by the Blackburn forwards, Oscar Canny quick thinking intercepted a pass and scored a try from his own half, converted by Tom Mann, score 21 – 21.
A tap penalty and superb hands to Josh Prell who burst through the gain line to score under the posts, converted by Tom Mann, score 28-21.
As we entered the third session, sustained pressure won penalties for Blackburn and from a scrum Sammy Russell squeezed over in the corner and Josh Jarrod to added the extras from a tight angle, score 28 – 28.
As Blackburn tired giving multiple penalties away, a tap and go to Matt Spheres who fed Harry Bullough to kick through for Omari Kaup-Samuels to touch down, converted by Tom Mann, score 35 – 28
A penalty was converted by Tom Mann to bring the final score to 38 – 28.
Well done to both sides for playing an entertaining game in a good spirit