WHARFEDALE secured a 39-22 victory over Preston Grasshoppers in National Two North.

Wharfedale played uphill in the first half and had to defend manfully.

Good wide passing by Hoppers after excellent work by captain Paul Millea and then Sam Stott’s final telling pass ensured that Tyler Spence could speed over in the corner to put the visitors up 5-0.

An outstanding piece of play by Sam Gaudie saw him wrench the ball from three Hoppers forwards and set Rian Hamilton on a successful run to the line from well inside his own half on 14 minutes. He had work to do but easily beat the cover. Jack

Blakeney-Edwards converted for his first points for Wharfedale.

The home side were then held up over the line before Hamilton scored his second on 16 minutes. Blakeney-Edwards again converted.

It was not long before the visitors’ Edward Leatherbarrow scored. Davidson converted.

There were fine runs by Proctor and Birch. They were stopped by brave tackling, but a Lovegrove/Mann move counteracted this and ended with Gaudie being brought down just short of the line. Dale were penalised and Hoppers swept down-field to score in injury time, again through Spence.

Within five minutes of the restart, the crowd saw some of Wharfedale’s best play of the match.

But another score did not come until the 50th minute when Tyson leapt high at the back of the line out and it was Matt Houghton who scored.

On 53 minutes Harry Bullough was yellow carded when he jumped for a high ball and four minutes later Alex Ward scored when the Greens were down to 14 men.

On 64 minutes, an interception of a looped and slightly forward pass saw Hamilton complete his hat-trick. Blakeney-Edwards converted.

The Greens’ last raid resulted in substitute Philip Woodhead putting Rhys Lovegrove away superbly for the final try, again converted by Blakeney-Edwards.