Teenager Prell excels as ‘Dale plough ahead

The Yorkshiremen’s early tries were a tribute to the open style of rugby being developed by the coaching staff. A break by Tom Davidson put Josh Prell clear for a try which was converted by Barrett.

Wharfedale’s scrum was dominant and Barrett was accurate with his kicking. The support play of prop Jake Armstrong helped Barrett to score a try which he could not convert.

The rest of the first half saw possession and territory to Henley but it was Wharfedale that scored another two tries. The first a gem from Scott Jordan and then another for teenager Prell.

Jo Donkin scored first in the second half for Wharfedale, converted by Barrett. Henley then dominated a tiring green machine and scored three unconverted tries by Martin Nutt, Mark Bruce and Xavier Andre but Jon Feeley’s side had done enough.

Despite scoring the first try of the match and holding their lead to the break, Hull Ionians suffered a 42-15 defeat at Lancashire outfit Fylde.

Scrum-half Isaac Green touched down just six minutes into the match and stand-off Lloyd Hayes added the conversion, and they managed to hold on to that lead until the whistle.

But just before the break they suffered an injury to flanker Alex Torkington, and when play resumed Fylde came out well and had taken the lead in just nine minutes. Hooker Tom Burtonwood raced over, stand-off Chris Johnson converting, and then Johnson himself scored and converted a try on 49 minutes to put his side 14-7 ahead.

Prop Dan Birchall added their third try, Johnson converting, and centre Chris Briers added another.

Winger Ollie Brennan’s try was converted by Johnson, and they combined again for another try to make it 42-10.

Ionians scored a late try through Richard Fletcher, but it was no more than a consolation.