A third straight defeat for Wharfedale leaves them at the foot of the table. There’s no denying the seriousness of this predicament, but when the full-time whistle was blown at Billingham, Wharfedale supporters had cause to feel that although another battle had been lost, the campaign was certainly not over.

One fact which cannot be varnished is that Dale have started every match this season dreadfully.
It’s common in rugby for sides to succumb in the final quarter, but Wharfedale are currently managing to do this in the first. Against Chester, Otley and now Billingham, the Greens were a try down within the first two minutes. As with almost all Billingham’s tries, the ball was dotted down under the posts, leaving an easy conversion.

Ten minutes later the home side crossed Dale’s line again, to lead 14-0. This was the first of three tries scored by flanker Charlie Evans, an 18-year old Billingham product who has already made an appearance for Newcastle Red Bulls at senior level. Ultimately Evans was the difference between the two sides, and his is a name to note for the future.

From that point on the game less resembled rugby than basketball, with each side scoring tit-for-tat tries almost every time they gained possession. Wharfedale’s first came on 20 minutes, when Callum Trees charged through to the left corner. The difficult conversion was missed, but five minutes later Callum Trees nailed a similarly challenging kick after Wharfedale’s second try, scored by new right wing Sam Taylor. This brought the score to 14-12. Before half-time Billingham’s Evans and Wharfedale’s Taylor had both scored their second tries, to leave the match well-poised at the break, 21-17.

Shortly after the restart Wharfedale’s Max Green was sin-binned for a high tackle, and Billingham capitalised on their numerical advantage when Anthony Jackson burst through to score under the posts. Josh Prell cancelled out this score shortly afterwards, leaving Dale trailing by only four points going into the final quarter.

From then on tries continued to be swapped, with Prell adding his second and Taylor his third for Dale, to leave the Greens trailing by only four points with a minute to go. But perhaps inevitably, it was young Charlie Evans who had the last say, completing his own hat-trick of tries and leaving Dale to return home with a solitary bonus point for their efforts.

Wharfedale players looked dejected as they left the field, but the travelling supporters had seen grounds for optimism. Young prop Max Green had acquitted himself well in a scrum which more than held their own. Back-rows Joe Fawcett and Tom Beresford were dynamic with ball in hand. Joe Adams transferred to scrum-half very effectively, whilst out wide Sam Taylor was a threat every time he touched the ball, and well deserved his hat-trick.

Above all, Dale played like a team, with more cohesion than in previous weeks. It may be no consolation, but occasionally in sport a team is undone by an individual. Charlie Evans. Remember the name.

Referee: Michael Harris
Attendance: 433
Half time Score: Billingham 21 – Wharfedale 17


Scorers:
BILLINGHAM
Tries: Lane, Evans (3), Jackson, Groark (2)
Conversions: Wilson 6
WHARFEDALE
Tries: Trees, Taylor (3), Prell (2)
Conversions: Trees (3)

Wharfedale:-
1 Max Green
2 Sid Holden
3 Reece Ward
4 Simon Borrill
5 George Hedgley
6 Ed Harrison
7 Joe Fawcett
8 Tom Beresford
9 Joe Adams
10 Max Bell
11 Omari Kaup-Samuels
12 Oli Cicognini
13 Josh Prell
14 Sam Taylor
15 Callum Trees
16 Henry Ellison
17 Joe Charnley
18 Fin Brewster
19 Idris Morgan
20 Archie Haddon