Rugby Union: Wibsey 7, Edlington Granby 14.

Edlington Granby gained revenge for their 33-3 defeat in last season's Yorkshire Silver Trophy semi-final, but this is a match Wibsey should at least have drawn.

Having restricted the Doncaster club to a 7-0 half-time lead down the Beldon Lane slope, the home side swiftly got an equalising try.

But just as quickly Granby scored a second converted try and, despite Wibsey having claims for a Bob Wood try turned down late on and a Richard Burton try ruled out for a marginal forward pass, the visitors hung on in the gathering gloom to claim both Thwaites Yorkshire Division Four points.

What a pity that neither Richard hands nor Paul Garside were available for Wibsey.

Their experience and leadership qualities could have tilted the balance and given winless Wibsey only their third victory in 55 league matches.

Wibsey gave seasonal debuts to Richard King at fly half and Mark Ryan in the second row.

Ryan, 28, was playing his first match since breaking a leg and badly dislocating his ankle walking last December in the first ice of the winter on Peny-ghent.

He said: "I think most of the lads thought we had it won after the first half.

"But the problem was we didn't do the basics right - there were too many knock-ons and dropped passes - and we tended to over-elaborate. We made it hard for ourselves.

"We missed Richard hands at No 8 - he would have made a big difference - but Richard King strengthened up the backs."

Wibsey had six survivors from last season's semi-final, whereas Granby had 11, which sums up the turnover of players at the Bradford club.

The match, played at Beldon Lane because Northfield Road was waterlogged, kicked-off 15 minutes late because Granby had to wait for several of their players in Doncaster before travelling.

There was plenty of kicking in the first half - not surprising in what increasingly became gluepot conditions - and the only score in that period came in the 36th minute.

Granby had one five-metre scrum repelled, but scored from the second, a short pass putting scrum half Dave Watson in for the try which centre Martin Spaven converted.

Wibsey could scent a rare victory in the second half and things looked even better when coach and scrum half Andy Todd twisted and turned his way over the line soon after the restart.

Full back Richard Burton's fine conversion levelled matters, but straight away Wibsey conceded two penalties, and Granby scored from the second of these.

A quickly-taken tap led to Spaven forcing his way over, and the centre converted his own try.

Although pressure increased on Granby towards the end, they held firm to notch their fifth league win of the campaign, keeping the pressure on the leaders.

I worry about Wibsey's future sometimes, but if their current crop of youngsters can be blended with the experience within the club I can see their fortunes turning around.

Ryan, who came through the match fine but will not be available until the New Year because of other commitments, said: "There is no real infrastructure to bring these youngsters on, to teach them things like lines of running or point them in the right direction.

"The young lads do have talent. We just need a bigger experienced player base to help them."

BILL MARSHALL

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.