Wibsey Warriors 28, Greetland All Rounders 4

DANGER man Steve Redman posted a hat-trick to put Wibsey Warriors on the road to a hard-fought victory against Greetland All Rounders at Beldon Lane.

The Warriors, who have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes in Pennine Division Two of late, looked completely out of sorts in a scrappy opening that saw a glut of needless penalties and dropped passes.

A sudden transformation took place when they strung together a telling foray down the flanks, leaving Redman to go unopposed at the corner on the overlap.

The lively visitors caused home hearts to flutter when wingman Simon Dawson was bundled into touch inches short before another sparkling left-sided raid saw Redman sell a slow dummy to crash over the whitewash and add the extras himself.

Greetland hit back in style when a clever kick into no man’s land allowed winger Kieron Claugan the chance to pounce too far out to convert.

The robust visitors put the Warriors’ defence under siege but they held firm to close the half 10-4 up.

Greetland, with the slope in their favour, were obviously expecting the second stanza to be a cake walk and their hopes must have soared when the dazed Wibsey pack enforcer, Ross Simpson, had to leave the fray. The Warriors had other ideas, however, and forced a drop-out under the posts that set up the chance for substitute Andy Carman to collect a smart offload from scrum half Matt Cumberworth to plant the ball at the side of the sticks, leaving Redman to add the extra two.

At 16-4 the next score would prove to be vital and when it came it was a beauty. A clever interchange over 60 metres between Redman and his wingman Nick Heap saw the burly centre dive over the chalk for his third touchdown and add the conversion for good measure.

The All Rounders forced the Warriors’ scrambling defence to work overtime to prevent any thoughts of a comeback and the outcome was put beyond any doubt when stand-off Lewis Barrett prised open a gap to send full back Paul Jennings on a 30-metre dash to the line, allowing Redman to slot over his fourth and final goal to seal the points.

Jack Strother