In the last game of 2016, Wetherby wanted to crown another successful year with victory against Ripon. Since their home defeat to the red and white army earlier in the season, Ripon had seen a resurgence which placed them in the top four. Much of the pre-game patter revolved around the whispers that Ripon were aggrieved to have lost the return fixture and thought we were there for the taking.

The warm up was quiet but well drilled, which is either a sign of focus or a lack of desire - always hard to work out. After everyone within a four mile radius heard Eminem through Jonny Day's speakers, the coach, captain and vice all had their final say.

Wetherby came out of the blocks quicker than you can say "you can't sit there mate, you're obstructing the police." Myles Oates carried on from last weeks performance with a nice bit of early tactical kicking to give Wetherby some ground. A knock on in the Ripon 22 gave Wetherby their first scrum of the game.

Scotty Wallis made light work of what was in front of him and the home side looked certain to score. The Ripon seven, who looked like Mr T had he got all of the recessive genes, killed the ball and earned himself a yellow card.

Wetherby whipped the ball wide and battered an organised Ripon line. The line held firm before scrum half Jonny Day proved to be slippier than a mustard-backed gorilla as he worked his way over the line for the game's first score. 7-0.

In a change to the regular tradition, Wetherby stayed switched on. The organisation in defence was clear and the low chopping tackles were coming in thick and fast. The back row seem to have an internal competition as to which one can tackle with the least self regard.

The Wetherby defence held tight and turned the ball over to allow some strong carrying play to compliment Myles' boot. Liam Hogan seemed to be making yards at ease from inside centre, while Harry Johnson carried well from number eight. The ball shipped out to Elliott Lloyd Kinsey Griffiths and every man and his dog predicted another barn-storming run, but were sweetly surprised by a deft kick through for a deserter, who shall not be named, to score the second try of the game. 14-0.

Ripon were always due their moments in the game and when returned to full compliment, pushed hard at the Wetherby defences. Wetherby conceded a penalty and Ripon set up the driving maul, which would evidently become their main weapon in the game. James Gibson spoiled the maul well, but when the ball was whipped wide, Wetherby were adjudged to have been offside as the looked to pressurise the Ripon attack. Easy kick at goal. 14-3.

Whereas in previous weeks Wetherby's ill-discipline had let them down, Wetherby reacted well on the pitch and waited until the late evening to start ignoring the rule book. The ferocity of the tackles by George Gilbert and Tom Edwards were taking their toll on Ripon, and word must have got around the town as Tom became the Brunswick's hottest property on Saturday night. Anyway Ripon coughed up a penalty, and part time Pizza Bella chef Myles Oates stretched out the Wetherby lead before the interval.

Half-Time: Wetherby 17-3 Ripon.

Wetherby had the game in complete control and were focussed and positive at the break. They knew they needed to make a good start to the second half and that's exactly what they did. Stephen Hoather controlled the restart well with his feet before bursting over half-way and off-loading to Tom Edwards. Tom made yards AND held onto the ball. The ball was recycled to Myles Oates who ghosted past defenders before switching with full-back Andrew Trotman for him to finish nicely in the corner. 22-3.

Trotman had an imperious game at full-back as he played like a young Juan Martin Hernandez. He counter-attacked well and made crucial follow-up tackles, but his boot was to be over-shadowed by the kick of the match in a game full of football. Liam found the ball in the midfield on his own ten metre line and with little else on, he caresses the ball with his hairy toes and launched it into touch five metres from the Ripon line.

Wetherby set up a nicely formed maul but were held up over the line by a player who this impartial observer (disallowed try scorer) believes came from an offside position! Ripon then made their luck count as they twice got away with walking away quicker than Craig David when it came to scrum time, much to the dismay of Bradley Mason. Bradley's excuse jar has run dry it appears as this week's excuses seemed feasible. Mainly because they were due to laziness.

Ripon were in dire need of a momentum shift but it wasn't coming at any haste. The silent assassin of Facebook stalking Jim Greenwood came close to the line down the left-hand side, before George Gilbert spotted a completely free blindside to saunter in for Wetherby's bonus point try. 27-3.

As the game wore on, some wingers decided to stay on the pitch and help their mates out, regardless of how lonely their girlfriend was. Some wingers, with a girlfriend named after either a bookies or a double-glazing company, decided to put in a deliberate high-shot in order to be back in bed by 4pm. Fortunately Barney Roberts and Jack Kaye stayed on the pitch, with the latter at outside centre. Both were very solid in defence as Ripon couldn't muster much to offer.

The game broke down into a scrappy affair but Wetherby largely controlled the tactics through the boots of Myles and Trotman. When called upon in defence the home team made their tackles to a man, although Liam Hogan was sent to the bin for not retreating far enough at a penalty. Sometimes twenty yards just isn't enough.

With Wetherby down to 13, AJ Hills showed his versatility by slotting in on the wing, and at centre. When tested he was imperious under the high ball, as Gareth Plant watched yet another winger overtake him on the winger rankings.

Ripon did have the last say on the points board however. Some tired bodies and the game in the bag saw Wetherby struggling to maintain their dominance in the forwards and when Ripon set up their only weapon with Wetherby still down 2 men, there was only to be one outcome. Too little too late however as a dominant display sealed the deal.

Full-time: Wetherby 27-10 Ripon

MoM: Harry Johnson - reckons he's off to NZ in February but I spoke to a couple of pals I made on Sunday morning and they're gonna have his passport off him.

DoD: I refuse to speak his name. He knows who he is.