WHARFEDALE are considering tweaking their approach to away games in the second half of their National League Two North season.

The Dalesmen haven't won on the road since December 12, 2015 at Hull Ionians in National League One – a run of 13 matches – and the Green Machine's head coach James Doherty admits that their performances when travelling are the major cause for concern.

Ahead of their game at Hinckley, who are three places and nine points better off than the fourth-from-bottom visitors, he said: "I have been delighted with our home form over the past month to six weeks, but maybe we need to look at tweaking things when we go away.

"It isn't anything to do with our preparation or warm-up, as they don't change, but when we have lost away from home we have often been blown away in the first 20 minutes.

"That isn't down to attitude or application but I feel it is more technical and tactical.

"Maybe we need to be a bit tighter and establish our setpiece, getting a foothold in matches to start off with before we go hell for leather."

Doherty has, however, admitted that the Greens' squad has been found wanting at times during the first half of the season.

He said: "We have used 37 players so far in the first team, and that would be a lot for a whole season, let alone the first half of the season.

"Not all of them have been due to injuries, however – some have been unavailabilities.

"We have been stretched and have been found wanting at times but the most pleasing thing has been the determination that we have shown recently."

Heavy defeats at Caldy and Sedgley Park aside, the Greens have been in contention in the other seven matches since their tackling debacle at home to Sheffield Tigers on October 15.

Injuries, of course, have given opportunities to other players, and Doherty singled out two for special mention.

He said: "Tom Whyte (flanker) has a lot to learn yet, and has been getting used to the difference in physicality between first team and second-team rugby, but he has been doing well, while Harry Bullough (full back, centre or winger) has been one of our most consistent performers.

"He has been in the first team before, perhaps for a week or two, but this season he has been in more and is playing the best rugby that he ever has.

"But all of the lads who have stepped up haven't shown a lack of effort."

Wharfedale, who hope to have James Tincknell back before the end of the season after a wrist operation, will also be without Oli Cicognini and Andy Hodgson, who went off during the home victory against Otley on December 17 with hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively.

But Doherty said: "Other than those two and the longer-term injuries, everybody is available."

Wharfedale defeated Hinckley 51-33 at The Avenue on September 17 to get their season under way, and Doherty added: "They seemed to pick up after that defeat (they won six in a row from October 22 to November 26 and followed that sequence with two narrow defeats).

"Every away game is tough and we are expecting them to have their England Under-20 players available from Wasps."

Wharfedale (at Hinckley): S Jordan; R Davidson, H Bullough, T Davidson, J Prell; J Guy, P Woodhead; J Altham, D Stockdale, T Asejevs, R Rhodes, A Allen, G Hedgley, J Burridge, T Whyte. Replacements I Larkin, J Huck, A Howard, M Hall, J Bullough.

* Wharfedale are holding a members' dinner in the sponsors' lounge at the clubhouse on Friday, January 27 (7.30pm).

Guest speaker is former player Robin Hargreaves, who is now small-animal director of Stanley House Veterinary Group and was elected president of the British Veterinary Association in 2014.

Tickets, which are limited, are £28 (payable on the evening) and cheques should be made payable to Wharfedale RUFC.

Anyone interested should contact Wharfedale RUFC subscriptions secretary Stephen Brake (07738-887813 or Stephen.Brake@spi-appleton.co.uk) by Monday at the latest.