Jersey 45 Wharfedale 5: Wharfedale unable to stem tide on trip to Channel Islands

Jersey were in commanding charge throughout, making expert use of the windy conditions.

The islanders displayed an impressive mix of hard-headed and hard-edged forward play with pacy probing running, expertly directed by half-backs Mike Le Bourgeois and former Otley scrum-half Dave McCormack.

Well though the visitors defended, they were under relentless pressure and were on the back foot from the word go. Jersey were able to move continuous possession at speed, and eventually deft three-quarter approach play found the inevitable gaps.

The Greens barely saw the ball for the first half-hour, by which time Jersey had rung up 25 points with tries from Le Bourgeois, full-back Glenn Bryce and centre Donovan Sanders, Le Bourgeois adding two penalties and two conversions.

There was brief respite for the Greens when Simon Horsfall finished off a neat short-side break by prop Chris Steel to score in the corner but 15-5 was as close as Wharfedale were able to get.

Though the visitors hardly helped themselves by contriving to lose four lineouts in succession to admittedly expert predatory opponents in other respects they responded as resolutely as conditions allowed, but hampered by a lack of primary possession, Wharfedale were unable to stem the flow even with a lessening wind advantage after the break, conceding two further second-half scores.

Prompted by fine probing play from McCormack, Bryce collected his second, and impressive flanker Guy Thompson scored at speed before substitute flanker Kingsley Lang drove over. Le Bourgeois’s impressive goal-kicking saw him add a conversion and a penalty just before the end.

Wharfedale can gain some slim consolation from the fact that they have now played all of the top sides, mostly away from home. Less happily, they will rue the broken arm sustained by Chris Steel, but more set-piece possession is required before they can progress to winning ways.