With Wetherby's season being decimated by injuries, they faced their toughest test of the year as they travelled to the much fancied league leaders Moortown on Saturday. Falling just short of dragging people out of the pubs of Wetherby to use as cannon fodder for the day, Wetherby's weakened side were in for a tough afternoon.

The home side made the better start through their hard running outside centre who broke through weak Wetherby tackling to open the scores. Much to Wetherby's credit however, they replied well and countered through a sharp break from Myles Oates who put away Alex Dus to score. To the untrained eye of a front-rower, it appeared that the backline positions had been drawn from a hat as Myleypoo found himself at 10, and somehow Alex Dus started at 12! Anyway, it worked for five minutes. 7-7.

The theme of the day of would run all the way through, as Wetherby missed tackles they shouldn't have, but were unlucky to consistently fall on the wrong side of the sword as far as refereeing decisions went. Missed tackles led to 2 Moortown tries as they stretched their lead but some fine breakdown work from the doormen Mattie Chappel and Mattie Harrison forced a penalty which allowed Wetherby to close the gap after twenty minutes. 17-10.

Moortown ran in a few tries before the break to extend the gap, but there were some really gutsy performances on display. Harry Johnson put in a huge performance from openside flanker as he continually gave the opposition an evil grin before smashing into them. Big fat David Brent, Bradley Mason carried with the boundless energy of someone who'd exerted little to no energy in training through the week. Jim Greenwood put his steel shoulders to the test and Steve Hoather took on the warthog role of hunting for truffles at the bottom of rucks.

It's often a sad experience for Wetherby rugby club when one of their bright sparks loses his way for a woman. It seems there may have been some Coral-ation between Chris Atkinson's increase in date nights and a new found love for picking up yellow cards. In a classic example of "myleypoos lumpy head syndrome", he was caught daydreaming about piccolinos with the Mrs, and not on the appropriate tackling technique as he put in a high shot just before half-time to earn himself ten minutes rest.

Half-time: Moortown 31-10 Wetherby.

The second half began as the first had ended with Moortown again scoring a couple of tries, but I think that would always be he anticipated result when a budding Mourad Boudjellal was dropped into a North Leeds suburb. Rather than focussing on the kiwi-led opposition, I shall instead choose to talk about Wetherby. A dominant scrum showed Elliott Lloyd Kinsey Griffiths' strength, and with big bad Scotty Wallis locking in behind him they looked like a giant bendy bus powering through the Moortown tight five.

Wetherby were certainly punished after half-time as Barney Roberts and Jim Greenwood were both sent for ten minutes on the sidelines for dangerous tackles. They were soon followed by captain James Gibson after showing his frustration with some of the decisions, which went down about as well as Graham Bulmer flirting with a woman of surplus chromosomes. At one point the referee gave a high tackle against 5 foot Jonny Day, on their 6 foot 6 second row, which I personally thought was unlikely as I saw no sign of a step ladder on the pitch.

Moortown scored some more tries but it was Wetherby who were to have the final word of the day as the fleet-footed Andrew Trotman avoided contact like a haemophiliac before off-loading to Myles Oates, who'd managed to dust himself off after being sat on his backside again, to run in under the posts to give the scoreline a slightly more respectable look. Only slightly though.

Full time: Moortown 57-17 Wetherby.

Far from a vintage Wetherby performance, but a lot of heart was shown against a strong Moortown team, who gave the impression that they hadn't fostered their talent from their junior section.

MoM - Harry Johnson: the stand out player on the pitch, and all for free!

DoD - James Gibson: yellow cards must be punished. Doubly so for captains yellow cards.