Wharfedale 18 Bradford & Bingley 10

Hedley Verity received a framed action photograph in the clubhouse after this derby to mark his 300th appearance for the Dalesmen.

But the veteran flanker had received all he wanted on his landmark occasion earlier in the afternoon.

"Conditions probably meant that we were not going to get the bonus point for four tries but the win was perfect, and we deserved it - we dogged it out," said the Greens' talisman, who was skipper for the day.

The Bees - five points and one place behind Dale before the start - made a great start in wet and windy conditions.

They won the game's first penalty and, from a driving maul with winger Peter Sutcliffe helping the shove, flanker Neil Spence got the second-minute touchdown, Tom Rhodes adding the conversion.

The strength of the wind facing the Greens was illustrated by scrum half James Doherty's clearance kick in the 17th minute blowing backwards.

However, with the Dalesmen using centre Chris Malherbe as an extra forward around the fringes and the Bees pack being penalised for running into their own men, the score remained at 7-0 until the 25th minute.

Having failed via the pack to add to that early try, Rhodes opted for a kick at goal and landed it.

"That first try was too early to have us worried but we certainly knew we were in for a battle then," said Verity.

"And we were probably pleased when they elected to take that kick at goal after having us under so much pressure rather than try and rumble over - a moral victory for us I thought."

The visitors lost centre Phil Greaves to the blood-bin in the 28th minute, Marcus Dracup replacing him, and on the stroke of half-time the hosts showed their best continuity of the half.

It won them a penalty for offside and centre Mark Bedworth slotted over.

"The idea was to keep them pinned in their own third in the second half," added Verity. "If we kept up the pressure, we hoped that the points would come, which they did.

"They all came from reasonably short-range efforts, apart from Neil Dickinson's try, which was the highlight of the day for every Wharfedale fan."

Bedworth reduced the deficit with a second penalty five minutes after the restart and, though he missed another effort, there were signs that the tide was turning.

The Bees were further hampered in the 61st minute when full back Joe Simpson limped off, second-row replacement Richard Hughes moving to the left wing.

Seconds later, prop Dickinson shot through the centre of their defence for a try, Bedworth's conversion putting the Dalesmen ahead for the first time.

With Doherty a lively presence at scrum half, the Greens added a pushover try from No 8 Rob Baldwin in the 71st minute which sealed victory, leaving the Bees, who should have scored more points in the first half, nine points from safety.

"That was a massive win," admitted Verity, who turned down an approach from Headingley Rugby Union Club when he was 19 to stay at The Avenue.

"There was also interest at about the same time from rugby league clubs such as Keighley and Widnes but if you went professional at league then you couldn't go back to union.

"That would have made it impossible, and also I had a few knee injuries at that time and I didn't think my body would have stood up to it."

So what of further landmarks for 'Edley?

He said: "Four hundred games is out of the question, and 350 as well. I am just trying to get to the end of the season!"