OLD Grovians put up a performance against second-placed Wetherby going down 34-23.

After a poor first 15 minutes in which poor tackling gifted Wetherby two tries and a 12-0 Grovians got back into the game after 25 minutes when a good move to the left resulted in a penalty try when the referee adjudged Wetherby of a deliberate knock on in a try scoring position.

On the half hour Jake Bentley reduced the arrears to 12-10 with a good penalty kick. Wetherby struck back straight away with their scrum half making a break to put a centre in under the posts. The converted try took the score to 19-10 but Bentley kicked another penalty to make it 19-13.

Just on half-time Wetherby secured a try bonus point to make the half time score 24-13. With the wind now behind Wetherby and rain starting to pour a long half looked in store for Grovians.

However, the first 20 minutes of the half was spent in the Wetherby half. Prop Finlay Todd scored a try in the left hand corner after a lot of Grovian pressure. Grovians were only six points adrift.

On 65 minutes the game was virtually over. Grovians captain Ed Brown was given a yellow card for a deliberate knock on and from the penalty Wetherby opted for a scrum close to the Grovians line.

The scrum was held up but a melee occurred and the referee gave Grovians Todd a red card but no sanction for a Wetherby player.

With a prop going off and the cover used Grovians were forced to lose a player and have uncontested scrums. Grovians were down to 12 players with a quarter of an hour left.

Wetherby kicked the resultant penalty to make the score 27-18. Grovians battled on and went looking for a score to grab a losing bonus point.

Winger Aaron Magee looked like he made a break from his own 22 but was high tackled and split the ball, a Wetherby player picked up and ‘scored’ under the posts.

Much to the surprise of the Grovians supporters he ignored the high tackle and the score stood, making it 34-18 with the conversion.

In added on time a good Grovian attack ended with a try for debutant Ricky Palacio as he chipped the defence and collected to score. Bentley hit the post with the conversion attempt.

A really gutsy performance from Grovians against Wetherby who have only lost three times this season.