WIBSEY only travelled with 15 players to their re-arranged Yorkshire Division Three match at Rotherham Phoenix, yet came away with a 53-34 victory.

Former Salem player Conor Wood scored two tries on his debut, and was matched in the try-scoring stakes by Joe Ratcliffe and Kyle Carter.

Wibsey might not have had any replacements or indeed a physio but their team was strong, although they went behind to a converted try in the fourth minute of what became a yo-yo match.

Ratcliffe's first try in the seventh minute, which Carter converted, levelled matters but they went behind again three minutes later to an unconverted try.

Michael Kite's try kept the visitors in touch in the 14th minute and, ably led by Wood and the whole of the Wibsey pack, the Villagers took the lead three minutes later with a try by Ryan Smith.

Wood's first five-pointer came in the 22nd minute, with Carter's goal extending Wibsey's lead to 24-12, but back came Phoenix with a converted try in the 28th minute and a penalty in the 35th minute to put themselves only two points down at half-time.

The hosts had a man sin-binned four minutes after the restart for hands in the ruck and Carter made them pay with an instant try.

Ratcliffe's second try in the 51st minute gave Wibsey daylight at 34-22 and they scored again from a comical set play six minutes later, with three Phoenix defenders concentrating on Wood from a set play, allowing Harry Hall to stroll over for a simple try.

Prop Simon Birkbeck - Wibsey's third goal-kicker after Carter and Scott Smith had been 'shown the door' - popped over the conversion, and he was successful again four minutes later after Wood had scored.

Ratcliffe was yellow carded for a high tackle, and the hosts cashed in with tries in the 66th and 70th minutes, one of which was converted, as they finally realised that it was a better plan to utilise their fly half and full back rather than try and batter the visitors in the forwards - a tactic that was never going to work.

Now only trailing 48-34, the home side sensed that a comeback was on but, with Ratcliffe now back on the field, it was snuffed out by Carter's second try in the 79th minute, with Birkbeck spoiling his 100 per cent record by missing the conversion.

Wibsey are now up to eighth and veteran back-rower Rob Greenwood reckons it is all down to him, saying: "I have played the last two games and our form has returned, we have won them both and scored 100 points."

However, others in the club are not so certain.