Match Reports 2007/8
| Colts | Under 17s | Under 16s | Under 15s | Under 14s | Under 13s |
| Under 12s | Under 11s | Under 10s | Under 9s | Under 8s | Under 7s |
wharfedale 41 v BARNSLEY 0 23 SEPT 2007 (YORKSHIRE CUP 1ST ROUND)
This Yorkshire cup first round match was pressure game being the first match of the season for Wharfedale but the squad had trained well and started at a brisk pace.
Soon the work put in on the training pitch began to pay dividends with a steady stream of good lineout ball off the top from Tom Stead. Honours were very even as the two packs got the measure of each other. Barnsley might have gone ahead when early indiscipline got them within kicking range but the shot went wide.
The Wharfedale forwards got their driving game going and forced a penalty in the opposition 22 and a quick tap saw Nick Watson in for the first try. Towards the end of the half the added dynamism of the Green pack really began to show with several surging runs and excellent off loading. Dan Fletcher and Alex Conroy both powered over for tries combining pace and strength to excellent effect.
The second half opened in the same vein, Sam Harrison lead repeated charges into the heart of the opposition pack and the rest of the pack rucked well beyond the ball allowing Jimmy Bullough to release his backs. When Barnsley had any ball open side Tom Heseltine closed down their options and stole anything loose on the floor. James Mason having a fine game in the second row finished off one try at the posts with a powerful pick and drive and shortly after was the link in an excellent interposing play that put blind side Tom Stead away for a try. Great support again saw Stead take a ball from the rampaging Harrison and hit the narrowest gap for his second try.
The best was saved for last, George Pighills on for Bullough at scrum half fed a fine ball to the backs and slick handling put Tom Taylor into space wide on the left and he had the pace to finish it on the outside for his first try. Andrew Malley converted several of the 7 tries.
As a first game from a standing start this was a very impressive all round team performance.
RIPON 5 v WHARFEDALE 10 4 NOV 2007 (YORKSHIRE CUP 2ND ROUND)
Wharfedale continued their progress in the Yorkshire Cup with a hard fought 10 points to 5 victory away at Ripon.
Surprisingly these two sides had never met before but were well matched and produced a game of high intensity. As is often the case, in Cup competitions, the match was littered with mistakes but was no less enjoyable for that.
Ripon enjoyed a height and slight weight advantage up front and so got the better of many of the set pieces but Wharfedale hung onto the balls that counted, notably in the last quarter. Also the Wharfedale backs, Stockton at fly half and Malley and Watson in the centre kicked intelligently when required and ensured Ripon spent little time in Wharfedale’s 22.
Honours were even for the first quarter, Fearnley was unlucky to have the ball dislodged as he crossed the line in the corner but Bullough’s constant hectoring of his opposition scrum half paid off when he nicked the ball at the base of the scrum and kicked the ball through. Support players pounced on the loose ball and Watson dummied through under the posts for Malley to convert.
Ripon bounced back immediately with a try they failed to convert and when play returned to the Ripon 22 they were penalised and Malley slotted a fine kick for a score line of 10 points to 5 that was to remain for the remainder of the match.
Sam Harrison had a powerful game at number eight making some priceless cover tackles before injury forced him from the field.
Alex Conroy had his best game for the team and was involved in everything in attack and defence making two marvellous tackles on the line in the last minutes despite being injured in the first of them.
ILKLEY 7 v WHARFEDALE 17 11 NOV 2007
Wharfedale travelled to Ilkley having had their best ever start to the season, unbeaten so far. Ilkley were also riding high having won 5 of 6.
Ilkley applied all the pressure early on and went 7 points to nil up after a drive to the posts resulted in a try.
Wharfedale worked their way back up field and were unlucky to miss a kick at goal when fine rucking forced a penalty on the 22. However shortly after a quick ruck ball on the line was fed in-field and second row Dan Fletcher appeared at inside centre and used his pace and power to drive over under the posts. The ever enthusiastic Ilkley defenders however charged down the conversion attempt.
The score remained 7 points to five until half time as Wharfedale turned over possession time and again to the foraging Ilkley back row.
The Greens gave themselves a talking to at half time and from then on it was one way traffic. Watson repeatedly pinned Ilkley back into the corners with ranging kicks, the Wharfedale lineout produced a glut of clean ball through Tom Stead and to add to his excellent throwing in Tom Carlisle began to take strikes against the head.
Wharfedale won a scrum against the head in the left corner, Tom Stead picked and went blind and found Watson on hand outside to score the try.
The Wharfedale front five now drove the opposition off the ball at will and George Pighills on at scrumhalf fed his backs intelligently and it was only a matter of time before Matty Hawkins hitting the ball at pace broke through in the centre to score the decisive try which Malley converted.
Wharfedale 54 v Old Rishworthians 21 25 NOV 2007
It is perhaps a measure of the progress that this side have made that this emphatic victory was a little disappointing, although five tries either side of half time, eight through the backs deserves considerable credit.
Rishworthians clearly a bit under powered up front were blown away in the first 20 minutes by 22 unanswered points as Carlisle took strikes against the head and Tom Stead plundered the opposition line-out. The result was tries for centre Nick Watson, full back Matt Hawkins and two for new man on the wing Steve Ellison, the last of these magnificently converted from the touch line by second row Dan Fletcher. Wharfedale then went to sleep for 10 minutes and Rishworthians scored a deserved converted try after pressurising the Greens on their line to spill the ball.
The Wharfedale reply was swift; from a quick penalty Tom Carlisle popped up at centre and found the gap to score.
The second half couldn’t have started better for the away team, intercepting a Wharfedale pass from the kick off to score and convert at the posts.
Having squandered numerous overlaps Wharfedale finally produced a fluent passing move and put the flying Ross Fearnley in at the Right hand corner and shortly after Jimmy Bullough dispossessed his opposite number at scrum half, kicked on and Tom Heseltine, having a fine game at open side, dribbled through the last defenders and won the race for the line. Rishworthians were not for lying down and scored another converted try.
The last quarter was all Wharfedale with a second try for Watson, an excellent finish from Sam Kulpa who had already impressed with his tremendous tackling and the final flourish a try from Andrew Malley.
This victory was built on a great dynamic performance from the pack, with greater fluency in the backs this side will do well.
ROTHERHAM TITANS v WHARFEDALE 20 JANUARY 2008 (YORKSHIRE CUP)
Wharfedale under 16's went out of the Yorkshire Cup to a very impressive Rotherham Titans side but not without a fight.
Rotherham managed to accumulate 45 points without reply but they had to work for it. Rotherham boast 9 Yorkshire players in their line up and 3 who have progressed to North of England colours. The Wharfedale pack were exceptional in their resilience and tackled themselves to a standstill. Having been unable repeatedly to make progress with their well drilled pick and drive play Rotherham expanded their game, and despite a tremendous display of mid field tackling, Wharfedale eventually ran out of defenders and conceded scores wide out regularly throughout the game.
For 15 minutes before half time the greens were marginally on top but fatigue had to tell in the later stages.
Key players for Rotherham were their efficient fly half who commanded the game and kicked 5 conversions, 4 from the wide out and their outside centre who was in fact the Yorkshire number eight, at well over 6 feet his off loading in the tackle was a constant source of problems.
Wharfedale must take great credit for their tenacity and in Jimmy Bullough they had by general consent by far the best scrum half on display. Luke Stockton's coolness under the greatest of pressure at fly half was also a steadying influence.
Harrogate – 7 V Wharfedale – 12 3rd February 2008
Wharfedale’s improving under 16’s finally produced the performance they have been threatening to topple their old foes Harrogate on their own turf. The Greens knew that the accomplished Harrogate backs would exploit the wide pitch at Claro Road if given the opportunity. The game plan from the outset was to pressure the inside backs with a blitz defence and build on recent impressive performances by the pack to restrict the opposition’s options.
So impressively was this plan carried through that Harrogate did not leave their own half until 25 minutes of the game had elapsed.
During this first period Wharfedale shocked the home side with a wonderful display of continuous rugby, which was topped of by a fine opening try. The ball was spun the width of the pitch, winger Hawkins made good ground down the right and off-loaded deftly in the tackle, Wharfedale then whipped the ball left and found prop and captain Alex Conroy on the wing, rounding his opposite man at pace he beat all covering defenders for speed and crossing in the corner ended the move under the posts for Malley to convert.
Shortly before half time Harrogate made their only line break on a rare foray into the Greens half, but what a break, the Harrogate left wing entered the line at pace took the inside pass and was over for a converted try before a finger could be laid on him. 7 all at half time rather flattered the home side. The second half struggled to live up to the first; there was less fluency but no shortage of fire, with fierce forward exchanges and both defences making big hits.
With 15 minutes to go the rampaging Green back row of Harrison, Stead and Heseltine forced Harrogate into the Left corner and Watson smashed through the last tackle to score wide out, a try that remained unconverted.
This was without doubt this teams finest hour, they are rapidly maturing into a fine side.
WHARFEDALE - 48 V BURNLEY - 13 2nd March 2008
Wharfedale emerged triumphant in this war of the roses. Burnley played the first half with benefit of the strong breeze but it was Wharfedale who scored first through number eight Sam Harrison with a powerful burst from the base of the scrum. A further try followed soon after as Andrew Malley dummied through the line on half way and sprinted away to score at the posts, converted by Dan Fletcher. The Greens tried their best to squander this advantage and with poor handling and unnecessary penalties gifted Burnley a penalty kick and an unconverted try.
So at half time it was all to play for at 12 points to 8. With the strong wind behind them Wharfedale looked confidant and immediately went behind to a good try from sustained Burnley forward pressure. This seemed to spur The Greens out of their torpor. Tom Stead began a period of controlled attacking rugby with a powerful run to the line, his try improved by Malley.
Good kicking from Watson and Stockton ensured good field position and an improvement in running lines and handling did the rest. Skipper Alex Conroy bagged two tries in quick succession the second after a great run from Nick Watson one of which Malley converted.
Watson got the next himself after Harrison carried the ball well up field straight from the kick off, Malley again converting.
Stead’s second try was a beauty, finding himself on the end of Watson’s flicked pass. Powerful second row Dan Fletcher, coming into the line at centre and sprinting in from 35 metres applied the coup de grace.