Wharfedale 42, Nuneaton 22

Wharfedale had a virtual monopoly on attacking ideas yet needed to produce a second-half comeback to beat visitors Nuneaton after being 19-10 down at half-time.

Nuneaton might have been wanting in back-division flair but, in goal-kicking stand-off Gareth Cull, they had a potent weapon. His naggingly accurate conversions of four penalties (a fifth struck an upright) that the Greens carelessly conceded in the early stages kept his side in front, against the run of play, for most of the first period.

When the Nuns' earned a penalty try in an isolated surge to the Greens' line at the conclusion of the half, they must have felt that the two-score advantage could provide them with a rare away win.

Mark Bedworth put the Dalesmen ahead with an eighth-minute penalty but within ten minutes, Cull had slotted his first three clearances.

A Bedworth break led to full back Neil Baggett's try under the posts and the routine conversion edged the Greens ahead 10-9.

Cull's fourth success and conversion of the penalty try left the home side puzzled at half-time.

Nuneaton defended manfully after the restart but the constant pressure had to tell.

Flanker Simon Hargreaves made the touchdown (47 minutes) after wingers Simon Horsfall and James Hutchinson had each gone close.

Bedworth converted and then added a penalty (59) to make it 20-19.

Neil Baggett's second try (66), again converted, stretched the lead. Cull, with his only realistic chance of the half, cleared another penalty (69) but this was no more than a defiant gesture.

Bedworth cancelled out Cull's effort (72) and the Wharfedale pack twice steam-rollered its way over the Nuneaton line for tries in the closing minutes, each time a gleeful Gavin Hindle emerging with the ball. Bedworth converted the second of these for a personal total of 17 points.