A disappointing first league visit to ‘The Avenue’ in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, as DMPRFC returned empty-handed, after it all started so promisingly.

On the day, there is no doubting that Wharfedale RFC deserved their win, but with four yellow cards for the visitors, one ultimately leading to a cumulative red card and all for technical offences, then the result is certainly one that needs closer examination from a DMPRFC perspective.

DMPRFC started well, with fast paced attacking, which the home side initially defended against, but were caught offside and the visitors should have deservedly profited with an early three point advantage, however the kick was wide.

The onslaught continued and this time, for a similar offence, Garry LAW assuredly connected for an opening lead for DMPRFC (0 – 3).

The Wharfedale RFC centre levelled the scoring, when DMPRFC pulled down the maul in the centre of midfield (3 – 3).

After another maul was halted, the official seemed to indicate an advantage to the visiting defenders, then immediately changed it to an advantage to the attackers, however, the confusion was matter less, as the home scrum half scraped a drop goal to decide the outcome (6 – 3).

The first of DMPRFC’s yellow cards came at this point in the game on 23 minutes, as DMPRFC flanker Jack ALLCOCK was sin-binned for killing the ball in the ruck.

Then the visitors lost hooker Charlie MADDISON with an injury, after an accidental clash of heads, to be replaced by the experienced Matt THOMPSON.

With one man down, DMPRFC scored the first try of the game.

Wharfedale had kicked out of defence and the throw in taken quickly, just inside the visitor’s half. The ball was quickly moved across the backline, finding fullback Henry ROBINSON, who jinked his way through the home defence, before providing the offload to Garry LAW for the score near the posts (6 – 8). LAW was successful with an easy conversion (6 – 10).

Wharfedale’s response was quick to follow with their winger finding a gap in the DMPRFC, scoring a good try, which was converted out wide (13 – 10).

DMPRFC were returned to a full complement, however this was short lived as within a minute of each other both centre Cameron MITCHELL, then hooker Matt THOMPSON were yellow carded for similar offences in the contact areas.

The effect of this loss was bound to tell and so it came a minute later, as the home side pressed home the numerical advantage, with a try from the Wharfedale hooker. Although given held up over the line by the referee, the referee’s assistant apparently had a better view and awarded the score (18 – 10).

With no more scoring at oranges, both sides returned to the changing rooms to contemplate what had been an incident packed first half.

On resumption of play, still down to 13 players, DMPRFC again took the game to Wharfedale and when the home side were penalised for not releasing, Garry LAW reduced the deficit with a well taken kick (18 – 13).

With DMPRFC returned to a full complement of players, they upped the pace of the game and just when it looked as if they could kick on, two mistakes in midfield took the sting out of their rear guard action.

The first was during an attack, where an overlap was created, only to be brought back for a penalty for crossing and the second, is when another promising pacy attack, to which Wharfedale were always susceptible, was halted for a knock on.

This frustrated the visitors and Wharfedale capitalised.

They too had a man sin-binned at this stage, as a prop replacement was sent back to the bench for killing the ball in the ruck, after only a minute on the field.

However, the home side slowed the game down and with patience, eased their way towards the visitor’s line when a series of penalties were awarded against the visitors.

From a scrummage close to their line, DMPRFC were adjudged by the official, to have infringed as they were pushed back by the home pack and a penalty try was awarded (23 – 13). The conversion was easy (25 – 13).

Replacements were introduced by both teams as the game entered the final stages.

DMPRFC showed a hint of a revival, when flanker Jack ALLCOCK dotted down after a forwards catch and drive effort (25 – 18).

However, from a carbon copy scrum, which had brought a penalty try minutes earlier, ALLCOCK was again shown a yellow card for apparently kicking the ball away as it squirted out of the scrum at the side. That being his second, it was revised to a red card and he was dismissed from the field.

That was all the impetus that Wharfedale needed to seal the victory and when the scrum was reset, another penalty try followed, when the visitor’s again incurred the officials displeasure, as the scrum wheeled with Wharfedale going forward (30 – 18). Again the conversion was easy (32 – 18) and the final whistle followed two minutes later.