A POWERFUL display of top notch handling and strong running brought Tynedale their first maximum points haul of the season on Saturday.

Two tries each for lock Graeme Dunn and flanker Joe Mills were the highlights of the demolition of newly relegated Wharfedale, Tynedale’s nearest neighbours in Division Two (North).

The Yorkshire side were perhaps not the strongest Wharfedale outfit ever to come to Corbridge, and apart from a mad 10 minutes either side of half time, Tynedale were always in control.

The only blot on a successful afternoon was the fact that only one of the six tries Tynedale scored was converted.

Wingers Aedon Maloney and Henry Hadfield both showed impressive form, with bulked up centre Will Miller also doing well.

Wayward place kicking apart, Dan Taylor impressed at fly half with some excellent kicking from hand, and also catching the eye was teenage second row Archie Erskine, who played a key role in one of the tries.

Tynedale started well with a great run by Maloney setting up a good attacking position, which led to a yellow card for Wharfedale skipper Rob Baldwin, and a sixth minute penalty for Dan Taylor.

A high tackle brought a penalty which was kicked to the corner, and the catch and drive from the line-out brought Dunn his first try for 8-0 after 10 minutes.

Tynedale continued to pound the visitors’ line, twice going over only for the ball to be held up, but on 22 minutes, following good work by number eight Scott Powell and full back Oli Walker, Maloney powered in for another unconverted try.

Tynedale looked set to take a 13-0 lead into the interval, but a late rally saw the Yorkshiremen spurn an easy penalty for a kick to the corner.

Pressure on the Tynedale line followed, and referee Callum Sharp finally awarded a penalty try, converted by fly half Jamie Guy.

The restart failed to make the required 10 metres, and from the resultant scrum, Guy landed a simple penalty to leave the Tynedale faithful ruefully regarding a 13-10 half time scoreline which did not reflect the balance of play,

The wobbles continued early in the second half, with some wild kicking, but nerves were eased when a powerful run by Hadfield found Dunn popping up on the wing to score a fine try.

It was soon 23-10, as a great burst by Miller, followed by slick handling by Jack Harrison, sent Mills crashing over for the bonus point try.

Four minutes later, the flanker was over again, as a beautifully timed pass from Erskine set up the fifth try.

The unlucky Taylor handed the kicking tee to Matty Outson and the skipper obliged with the conversion to take the score to 30-10 with 68 minutes gone. More good work from Powell brought a rare first team try for replacement Jonny Mock, which must have been well worth the nasty knock to the face he received in the dying moments of the game.

Tynedale won’t have it so easy this weekend when they make the trip to Manchester to face high flying Sedgley Park, who are lying second with four wins out of four. They have earned maximum points on four of those outings.