Wharfedale 27, Tynedale 3.

TYNEDALE’S impressive six-match streak of away wins squelched to a sorry end in a Yorkshire mud bath on Saturday.

The warriors of Wharfedale proved too hot to handle as free-running Tynedale were bogged down in appalling conditions of ankle deep mud, constant rain which ranged from torrential to Yorkshire mist and a howling gale.

With their feet dangling over the relegation abyss, Wharfedale seemed to want success more than Tynedale, and the only points the visitors could muster came from an early Ash Smith penalty.

The conditions did not allow them to play their usual game, and the fact that they were starved of possession to about 20 per cent in the first half and around 35 per cent in the second was important.

On the few occasions they did get the ball, they looked as though they were treading water and the scrum began to creak as the game progressed.

The game was supposed to have been played in January, but was postponed because of a frozen pitch. Tynedale would probably have preferred the hard surface to the quagmire that was Wharfeside Avenue.

Tynedale were without a number of key players, including skipper and scrum half Matty Outson, former skipper Jack Harrison from the centre, line-out jumper Graeme Dunn, and back rower Joe Mills, not to mention hooker Jamie Blamire and flanker Max Davies, both on England U20 duty against Italy.

But they were yet again well served by the dynamic number eight Scott Powell, who had another immense game. It speaks volumes that Tynedale conceded two tries when he was off the field with a yellow card towards the end of the first half.

Winger Henry Hadfield worked hard, being hauled down short of the line having waded through the mud up the hill early in the second half, before going off injured.

Tynedale also lost flanker Matty Charters to a shoulder injury just before half time.

Ben Bell made a couple of decent carries when he came on as did fellow replacement Archie Erskine.

Tynedale fans were delighted to be able to make out hooker Tom King, back as a replacement hooker after his serious facial injury suffered earlier in the season, and the man he replaced, Louis Frankland, also relished the conditions and worked hard all day.

Tynedale had the advantage of the elements in the first half, but were still under ceaseless pressure.

They held out for half an hour before Tynedale collapsed a Wharfedale drive for the line, and Powell paid the penalty with a yellow card.

From the resultant catch and drive, Dan Stockdale grabbed the opening try, which was unconverted.

A wind-assisted penalty from long range by Smith brought the score back to 5-3, but the Yorkshiremen put together a good handling move which ended with centre Jamie Guy crossing under the posts, Tom Barrett’s conversion making it 12-3 at the break.

Tynedale made a better fist of it in the second half, with Powell rampaging through, but too often without support.

Wharfedale put together another catch and drive to muscle over, Lewis Wilson getting the touch down to another unconverted try to make it 17-3.

The rest of the game belonged to Wharfedale back rower Josh Burridge, who grabbed the bonus point try from close range on 62 minutes, before taking a tap penalty and blasting his way over from 40 metres to seal a deserved win.

Tynedale have another tough away day on Saturday, when they travel to Hinckley looking to avenge the 22-12 defeat they suffered at the Leicester side’s hands at Corbridge in November.