Following the previous week's third convincing win of the season over higher division opposition, on this occasion a convincing 4 try win away to Barnsley, Wetherby U17's returned to league action last Sunday and continued their 100% record with another win, albeit by the narrowest of margins, away to Hullensians. With 4 regular front row players unavailable and so not surprisingly outweighed up front, Wetherby were always going to struggle to gain and retain enough possession for their three quarters to show their mettle. As it was the game started encouragingly for Wetherby with speedy winger Ross Brown making a couple of good early runs and forcing the opposition defence into some desperate but effective defence. However the early pressure Wetherby exerted through closer support and greater mobility of their lightweight pack soon brought its rewards with second row Bottomley crashing over from close range in the corner to take the lead. 

Only minutes later however a perhaps overambitious flat miss move was well read by the Hullensians full back who picked off the interception and raced away unchallenged for the softest of gifted tries, duly converted to give the home side the advantage 7-5. This proved to be a turning point in the game which degenerated into a scrappy affair with the Hullensians side pushing the limits of the offside laws repeatedly but in doing so, nonetheless exerting sufficient pressure on the visitors to make them lose their control of the game, on many occasions too hastily passing on poor quality ball and being hassled and bustled off the ball in contact. Indicative of the loss of calm and control was the Wetherby decision to forego a simple 3 point kick at goal to retake the lead. Following sustained pressure bringing about yet another Hullensians transgression, this time correctly spotted by the beleaguered official, they were awarded an easy penalty kick under the posts, but instead opted for a tap penalty which was dismally knocked on and immediately handed back the advantage to Hullensians. 

The pattern continued in much the same vein for the remainder of the match with Wetherby never really hitting top gear, despite great endeavour from many of the pack, notably again hooker Jonny Day and flankers Julian Mason and Will Booth who were consistently first to step up for the tackle on the Hullensians heavyweight runners around the fringes. In particular the usually potent back line up rarely fired into action with handling far to slow and laboured and at least two or three try-scoring overlap chances being squandered by failing to make the pass at all or poor execution leading to spilled ball and a lost opportunity. 

With the loss of powerful Lockwood from the pack through a head injury the weight advantage swung further in the hosts favour and although they rarely looked like crossing the Wetherby line, they proved determined and difficult to breach in defence, with only a few glimpses of Wetherby threats from the powerful half breaks of centre Picker and jinking runs of fly half Oates. One of these runs in the final quarter of the match set up a final penalty chance which was thankfully convereted by Picker to restore the visitors lead, on balance deserved and which they successfully defended to gratefully put another 3 league points in the bag.

Wetherby continued a businesslike start to the season with a deserved victory in their first league encounter of the season at Scarborough on Sunday.

With some player injuries/unavailabilities and consequently travelling with a squad of only 16, a noticably apprehensive Wetherby side played more than within their capability for the somewhat scrappy and stilted first half. Too many unnecessary infringements, possession turnovers and lack of penetration by the three quarters saw the team struggle to impose themselves on Scarborough in the early exchanges which resulted in them scraping home only two first half tries through the tireless hooker Jonny Day popping up in support to dart over the line and powerful winger Will Lockwood who ploughed through his opposite number to take the first of his brace of tries.

Significantly outweighed in the pack, Wetherby needed to rely on superior technique to gain an edge and unfortunately they failed to keep cool heads and on several occasions gave away possession at the ruck and maul, denying themselves quick possession for their always potentially threatening wide three quarters to exploit. A little early season rustiness was also apparent from the inside three quarters with hesitancy and laboured forward movement giving the home side slow and easy targets against which to defend.

In the second period Wetherby's forwards began to control the game more noticeably and possession, albeit still interspersed with perhaps too frequent handling errors and infringements around the breakdown, began to come increasingly their way. The three quarters level of urgency and pace also picked up markedly and their hold on the game strengthened to the point that Scarborough had only rare meaningful attacks, one of which largely through a Wetherby defensive misunderstanding, gave their winger the simplest of run-ins from only yards out and momentarily kept them in contention.

However by the final quarter of the game, the result looked inevitable as Lockwood again fought off two defenders to take his second try and lock Tom Bottomley led  by example in bursting through from close range to touch down and seal the victory. With the extra's added by fly half Myles Oates a comfortable margin eventually came their way though on reflection Wetherby could look back at a minimum of three or four missed opportunities on which better handling would and should have given them a far more emphatic margin of victory.

Of particular note were excellent league debut performances from new arrivals Matt Flannery at centre and on balance man of the match Joe Mason on the wing, both of whom showed the most enormous commitment to the tackle in defence and strength of running in attack.

Next Sunday the U17's continue their league programme at home to Selby, kick off 1.00 pm. All supporters welcome.