It was a humdinger of a contest at Threshfield where a record league attendance of around 1,500 turned out in the January sunshine to see the Greens come near to erasing the memory of a disappointing 27-11 reverse at Cross Green earlier this season, writes Keith Lewis.

The finer points of the game would probably have been appreciated more by the cauliflower-eared veterans on the terraces than by those spectators who could claim to be able to do joined up writing or had once played in the backs because on the day the Wharfedale pack, boosted by the return of former captain Charlie Vyvyan, presided over the proceedings with a collective vision and level of accomplishment which would warm the heart of any old mauler.

It should perhaps have been a springboard to victory, but the visiting eight deserved credit for what was almost a purely defensive forward effort and neither side could complain about the fairness of the result.

The Greens will be disappointed by their lack of fluency behind as the visitors edged that particular contest. Ex-Sale star Vyvyan was quick to suggest that perhaps given more quality possession the Wharfedale backs would have had a better afternoon - a theory which is likely to be tested in the coming weeks.

Wharfedale were able to assemble a veritable "vergeltungswaffe" of a back row as their three green V-bombs, Vyvyan, Verity and Evans, came together for the first time. Otley took a chance on the fitness of fullback Peter Rutledge, who had been injured last time out at Morley and they made a late change on the right wing as Sam Gardner came in for Robert Whatmuff.

With expectations high among the locals at kick-off the Dalesmen were the first to look dangerous as left wing Steve McManus caught Gardner in possession and the Green pack arrived en bloc. The ball eventually came back to McManus and only a desperate tackle in the corner prevented a try. Wharfedale fly-half Neil Heseltine caused the visitors more problems with a couple of well-weighted chips, but in the ninth minute Otley took the lead when scrum-half Chris Thornton kicked to the corner and Gardner got what must have been the benefit of considerable doubt at the scramble for the touchdown.

Wharfedale then began to establish themselves in the forward exchanges with lock David Lister and Vyvyan gaining dominance in the lineouts and Hedley Verity, hooker John Lawn and prop Ian Peel making good yardage in the loose. Territorial advantage was turned into points with two tries in quick succession around the half hour mark. Scrum-half Dan Harrison squeezed over after deft handling by Vyvyan at the base of a five-metre scrum and then five minutes later flanker Paul Evans emerged from a mighty forward assault on the Otley line to claim his first league try for the Greens. The score was just reward for a well-executed steamroller move following centre Jonathan Davies' touch-finder into the corner and Lister's clean take. Right wing Adam Mounsey converted from the touchline and although the Dalesmen maintained the pressure and Vyvyan was unlucky to have a try disallowed through an accidental offside the score remained at 12-5 at the interval.

Otley fly-half Simon Hawkins reduced the deficit for the visitors with a penalty soon after the restart, but the Wharfedale pack clicked back into gear and drove on to gain the position from which Mounsey was able to punish an Otley offside to make it 15-8. Dan Harrison and Mounsey then combined at pace to gain over 50 metres, but gradually the game began to swing Otley's way as their captain Neil Hargreaves and flanker Lafaele Filipo salvaged enough loose ball to create chances. Hawkins instigated a try when his burst broke the cover and former Leeds centre Wayne Hartley finished by the posts. The conversion by Hawkins levelled the scores for Otley but the No 10 lapsed minutes later when he chose to ignore a three-man overlap and was consumed in a try-saving tackle by Wharfedale centre Mick Harrison.

In a nail-biting last quarter the Wharfedale pack, with ace grapplers Dennis Wood and Neil Dickinson to the fore, rolled on and on to pressure the Otley line, but a mixture of stubborn defence and predictability outside prevented any breakthrough.

The Dalesmen were particularly aggrieved when with Otley caught offside under their posts the referee adjudged sufficient advantage had been taken by a snap drop-goal attempt by Mick Harrison. Otley came close to snatching a win in the final seconds when left wing Anthony Greig just failed to reach a ball bouncing tantalisingly over the tryline but justice was done when the whistle indicated an honourable draw.

Mr Vyvyan? Well Charlie looks like being the darling of The Dales once more after a telling contribution in his come-back game. He clearly enjoyed himself in the unique atmosphere of a Yorkshire derby and added: "It was great to be part of a Wharfedale pack which plays like that."

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Greens make their first ever visit to Newbury in Berkshire for what is sure to be a difficult game against a side who are currently in sixth place, having won 36-16 at Harrogate last Saturday. Newbury's 7,500 capacity Monks Lane ground is south of the town centre. Supporters should take the A34 from Junction 13 of the M4, travel south until the fourth roundabout and then turn right into Monks Lane. The sports arena is a quarter of a mile on the left.

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

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