Dale succeed in braving elements

By ED WILLIAMS

Wharfedale …………23

Blaydon ………………… 8

WHARFEDALE were able to celebrate a hardfought home win in difficult conditions.

Blaydon did have the upper hand for a good period of the second half, especially when Dale had two men in the sin-bin.

But strong defence by the Green Machine prevented the line from being breached and they held on to a slender lead When restored to 15 men, the home side grew in stature and eventually pulled away to grab the four points.

Blaydon scored first when Elliott Beattie trundled over from short range.

Jack Blakeney-Edwards edged Dale into the lead with the conversion. Nathan Horsfall rounded off the scoring in the first half with a long-range dropgoal.

Blakeney-Edwards added another three points, before Blaydon set up camp in Dales' 22.

With Dale down to 13, it was time for the defence to take over, and they withheld wave after wave of attacks.

Two long-range penalties from Tom Davidson took Dale into the lead. Sam Gaudies dived over the line from an attacking scrum and Davidson added the extras.

Wharfedale's Director of Rugby Rob Baldwin said “It was a difficult day to play rugby. We showed a lot of heart.”