On a soggy Saturday afternoon Wetherby travelled to high-flying Pontefract in what would be an early indication of who might progress through to the Yorkshire cup semi-final when the sides meet at the end of the month. Wetherby rung a few injury induced changes but fielded a strong side, against a solidly drilled Ponte side.

Wetherby made a flying start as they instantly pressured the Pontefract attacks and won the ball back through an Ed Blackwell turnover (the first of many). In a rogue bit of play, Harry Kaye chipped through for Andrew Trotman to gather. The ball was shipped wide for Dan Simpson to score his first try since returning to the side. He was decapitated in the process and somehow the referee awarded a penalty try without giving a card! 0-7.

Ponte hit back immediately and showed their threat through the big strike runners. Wetherby looked solid in defence but one lapse allowed the relentless ponte attackers to slip through the usually reliable Jonny Day to score! 5-7.

Wetherby continued to force the pace of the game, which was typified by the maverick Andrew Trotman. His tap and go to kick into space won a penalty for the visitors to put themselves back in the lead. This was followed by a counter attack down the right hand side which saw the flying Elliott Griffiths set free down the right wing. Another high tackle in the midfield gave Wetherby another penalty. 7-13.

Wetherby were aggressive in their defence. Tom Edwards was all over the park, with a new lease of life since discovering the dreamland of tinder. His line speed was matched by the brutal aggression of George Gilbert and his young protege Harry Johnson. The organised defence stemmed any chance of a fight back before half time.

Half-time: 7-13. Aggressive defence causing knock ons.

As the second half started Ed Blackwell continued to pilfer ball at the breakdown, and Pontefract clearly showed that they'd paid no attention to the new high tackle directives. After getting away with a couple, another high tackle gave Wetherby a shot at goal to extend their lead through the Andy Goode shaped figure of Alex Dus. Goode had better hair as well. 7-16.

Ponte responded with a penalty of their own to close the scores to within one try again thanks to a high tackle on the home side's loosehead prop, who looked like Jonathan Creek had developed a thyroid problem. 10-16.

As Wetherby tried to string some phases together Pontefract defended with vigour as they stifled phase after phase of red and white attacks. Elliott got smashed in a physics defying no arms tackle. Alex Dus, he of the champagne lifestyle and lager budget, took one look at the forty five yard kick and opted for posts. The ball barely made it inside the Pontefract 22.

The missed kick seemed to spark the home team into life and they instantly hit back. A reshuffled Wetherby scrum went hurtling back at an unfamiliar rate of knots and the visiting defence never really recovered. Soft tackles on the back foot allowed their forwards to crash over and take the lead for the first time. 17-16.

Pontefract grew into the game just as Wetherby started to lose their structure and composure. Some aimless kicking allowed the Ponte strike runners too much time to make easy yards. They recycled the ball efficiently and stretched their lead as heads dropped amongst the Wetherby ranks. 24-16.

Wetherby suddenly looked drained with even captain Myles Oates struggling without his streaking cheerleader present. His restart didn't make the ten metres required and Ponte were on the front foot again. Sean Lally went to put a big shot on the Pontefract winger and was choke-slammed brutally to the ground with a hand off. A swift recycle and cross-field kick put Ponte in for their bonus point try with a well taken score. 31-16.

Wetherby looked firmly beaten, and seizing on tired legs the Pontefract fly-half put the icing on the cake. His foxy-like show and go broke open the midfield as he showed good wheels to finish in the corner and gloss over the game. 36-16.

Wetherby should take good heart from being the better team for sixty minutes, and will face some tough lessons before welcoming league leaders Moortown to grange park in their next fixture.

MoM: Tom Edwards - covered more ground than anyone on the pitch, and had a tackle count higher than his number of tinder matches.

DoD: Sean Lally - a front rower being man-shamed by a winger can never be allowed to pass.