Wharfedale's erratic recent form hit a downturn at Bracknell, and the ten-point defeat fairly reflected the two teams' relative performances in what was a lack-lustre National League Two contest.

Of much greater concern than the surrender of two league points must be the serious injury to skipper Andy Hodgson, who suffered a broken ankle near the end.

His lengthy absence from the side will be a major blow to the Greens' hopes of maintaining a promotion challenge.

A first-half penalty from Jonathan Davies was the sole employment the strangely ponderous visitors could offer the scorer.

The winger's penalty levelled matters in the 25th minute at a time when the Dalesmen seemed to have settled down after surviving a torrid opening quarter when they saw very little of the Bracknell half, and were fortunate to have conceded only a 15th-minute Neil Hallett penalty.

The home fly half was off-song throughout with his goal- kicking, but managed a second penalty (as with the first, from in front of the posts) to edge Bracknell into a three-point interval lead.

The third quarter belonged mostly to the Greens, in terms of possession, but only rarely did their predictable forays worry a determined defence.

Bracknell opened a two-score gap with a converted try in the 56th minute - but will surely credit referee Gareth Copsey (who unwittingly blocked the way to a Wharfedale tackler) with a valuable 'assist' to scrum half Craig Turvey's touchdown under the posts.

In the closing minutes, the Greens mounted serious pressure on the home line, but could find no way through. It was during this spirited flurry that Hodgson went down under a tackle that appeared, at first, to be innocuous. Sadly, the outcome was anything but.