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Wharfdale 2nd’s 20 - Driffield 2nd's 5
Published: 23/03/2010
Driffield travelled up to Wharfdale to play the UN beaten league leaders and winners of the Yorkshire premier league for the last 3 seasons. Wharfdale have a superb set up and the 2nd team is a credit to the club structure as all returning 1st team players play 2nd’s. The atmosphere and welcome we received was fantastic, it was also Driffield’s first trip to Wharfdale for a senior game in years.
With Wharfdale having two men playing who were benching for the first’s on the Sunday and two player’s who had represented the Barbarians against Bedford at the beginning of March Driffield’s afternoon was going to be a tough one.
There were five changes from the selected team, but this gave an opportunity to Watson, Nicholson, Rafter, Culpin and Stathers and all had excellent games and will be pushing for starting places next weekend against Hull.
Driffield started with the wind in their faces and right from the kick off Wharfdale ran at Driffield but this young side tackled everything that moved and the commitment all day and into the night was top class.
The pack were superb all game and the scrum was the cornerstone for all of Driffield’s good work, Risdale, Holland and Fraser smashed a big Wharfdale pack backwards at every scrum, Butler and Cooper stole plenty of ball in the lineout. Norman, Nicholson, Culpin and Chapman hit every ruck and maul as if there life depended on it and Chapman carried fantastically all afternoon.
In the backs Harding was excellent throughout, his delivery was exceptional and box kicking put the opposite wingers under pressure. Watson & Booth tackled their heart out in midfield and both looked dangerous in attack, Rafter and Hardy ran strong and hard at their opposite men and never missed a tackle all game. Stathers looked the most likely to penetrate the Wharfdale line and he had a good game after a hamstring injury.
In the end Wharfdale ran out 20-5 winners but everyone can take great credit from and superb performance against a side that are un-beaten in the league this year. Culpin, Watson, Norman and Rafter have been mainly 3rd team this year so the strength in depth at Driffield is something we should all be proud off, but not take for granted.
Driffield’s only try of the game came from a lineout 5 meter’s out, a great throw from Holland was plucked out the Wharfdale sky by Cooper and cleaned up by Chapman and then the whole pack pushed Wharfdale over the line and Harding fed Watson who scored a great team try.
With Bradshaw, Anderson, Hornby, Plumbridge, Lazenby and Short all available for this week, selection should be interesting. Thanks to Ollett, Wilson, Dervy and Keys for travelling with the team and supporting it was much appreciated.
Man of the match was Karl Risdale for his awesome scrummaging and tireless work around the park.
Well done all
