Rosslyn Park’s run is ended at Wharfedale

Wharfedale, making light of their mounting injury list, eventually dominated their table-topping visitors to record their best performance of the season.

Except for a resilient period in the second quarter, the visitors were largely on the receiving end of some fine Wharfedale play, at first by the home back division and throughout the second half at the hands of some fine forward displays.

The Londoners’ defeat brings to an end a run of nine straight victories and dislodges them from pole position in the table.

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For once, Wharfedale were quickly into their scoring stride. Fluent approach play and close pressure allowed prop Joe Altham to steal over.

Local boy Lloyd Davies succeeded with a towering conversion and proceeded to procure 18 points in a starring performance which saw him add pace and penetration to the attack as well as claiming a neat try.

Wharfedale surrendered a 10-0 lead succumbing to tries from flanker Darren Ball and centre Steve Hamilton to give the visitors a 17-10 lead at the break, significantly profiting from a yellow card to Dom Barrow.

Wharfedale increasingly upped the pressure to record Dan Solomi’s try from a driven maul, followed by Davies’s penalty to narrow the Park lead to a single point.

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Desperate defence by the visitors incurred a yellow card to 
No 8 Hugo Ellis and the Greens’ assault at the line produced scores for Davies and then, on the opposite wing, a tight corner-flag try for winger Nick Taylor.

Park’s non-risk style meant they were never convincing playing catch up, but a rare escape produced a converted try for fly-half Sam Katz to make the score 30-24 before Davies made the game safe for the jubilant home crowd with a fine long, straight penalty.

A disappointed Rosslyn Park could only acknowledge that the Greens were dominant and deserved winners.