National Division One

Rosslyn Park 29 Wharfedale 14

Wharfedale got off to the worst possible start by conceding two converted tries in the first five minutes, writes Keith Lewis.

Although they recovered their composure sufficiently to reduce the deficit to three points, Rosslyn Park's juggernaut pack then stuffed the ball up their jumpers and won the game with three well-controlled pushover tries.

It was a wearisome finale to what might have been an exciting game as Wharfedale gradually reduced their early 14-point deficit, but Park's second half steamrolling was probably as near to the old boring Arsenal as you can get in rugby. Still judging by the smiling faces in the stand it was appreciated by the locals who had paid £8 for the pleasure. Thinks....."Twice the thrills and spills at The Avenue for half the price!"

Fortunately the game was memorable for reasons other than the result. Wharfedale's 18-year-old debutant fly-half David McCabe demonstrated the full range of his precocious talent, including a superb 35-metre drop goal, before being withdrawn at half-time and long-term casualty Andy Hodgson came through what was almost a full game unscathed after replacing injured fullback Neil Heseltine with only eight minutes on the clock.

It was good to see Russ Buckroyd back in action too, fully recovered from a broken jaw and making his presence felt in a second half reshuffle which gave all the replacements a run out except for the unfortunate Max Cummins. Mad Max had driven up from London on Friday evening after visiting friends, expecting to be propping for Wharfedale 2nds at Kendal. A quick phone call then sent him back to the capital on Saturday morning for a place on the 1st XV bench, but inspite of several frenzied warming-up sessions on the touchline the only time the former London Colts player got onto the pitch was with a kicking tee or a water bottle. Such is life at the cutting edge of professional sport!

The game was barely three minutes old when Rosslyn Park centre Paul Brady went through a gap like a taxi on the North Circular before touching down by the posts. The Greens' restart from the middle failed to go the required 10 metres and after opting for a scrum Park moved the ball quickly to the right where former Otley winger Dave Casado chipped ahead and won the race to the line for try number two. Both were converted by fly-half Andy Maddock leaving the Dalesmen with a mountain to climb.

Then just when things could hardly get worse they did. Heseltine injured his ankle in a tackle and limped off, sending Hodgson limping on for his first senior game since breaking his leg with the Bradford Bulls last August. It looked like a premature call-up for a while as the Greens' star literally found his feet, but as the game progressed all the familiar skills began to show. Teamwise things gradually improved too as captain John Lawn brought the Wharfedale pack into contention and McCabe moved the ball confidently in what must have been very unfamiliar territory for him. With 14 minutes gone centre Jonathan Davies pushed Rosslyn Park back into the corner with a penalty and lock David Lister took the lineout comfortably to spark a succession of drives which ended with flanker Paul Evans plunging over.

Wharfedale's confidence received another boost five minutes later when lock Dennis Wood adeptly recycled the ball in midfield and McCabe wasted no time in slamming over a drop goal. The scoreline became 14-11 when No 8 Charlie Vyvyan burst through a lineout and Park were penalised in the tackle giving Adam Mounsey a penalty opportunity, but luck deserted the Greens just before half-time when for no apparent reason Park were given an attacking scrum seven metres out. This was the first real opportunity they had had to show off the push-over technique which had seen off both Leeds and Worcester at Priory Lane this season and after a shunt which would not have been out of place at Chiswick roundabout No 8 Liam McCormack was credited with a try.

David Whitfield took over at scrum-half and Dan Harrison moved to stand-off as the second half got under way with Davies and centre partner Craig Walker causing problems for the home defence before winger Steve McManus was denied in the corner. Mounsey landed another penalty to make it 19-14, but the last quarter was dominated by the Park pack who gained three pushover situations and scored from two of them, giving McCormack his second hat trick of the season after moving down from Fylde. Tedious stuff chaps and no prizes for guessing what Prince Obolensky would have made of it all.

The Greens travel to Headingley Stadium tomorrow night (Saturday) for a 7.30pm kick-off in their last league game of '97/8 against promotion hopefuls Leeds. With leaders Worcester away at second-placed Rugby, ko 3pm, the final day of the season throws up all kinds of scenarios but league restructuring might eventually override them all.

The Wharfedale team is: N Heseltine; A Mounsey, C Walker, J Davies, S McManus; D Harrison, D Whitfield; J Metcalfe, J Lawn (capt), N Dickinson, D Lister, M Viner, P Evans, H Verity, C Vyvyan; reps J Hartley, P Peel, G Rogers, A Hodgson, R Buckroyd, B Whitfield.

Next Tuesday Wharfedale are at home to Leeds in their Yorkshire Cup Semi-Final, ko 6.45pm.

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