Greenwood regret after scrappy affair

Wibsey skipper Rob Greenwood cut a disconsolate figure in their clubhouse on Saturday night.

His team had failed to follow up their 12-0 victory over Thirsk by defeating Burley in a Yorkshire Division Five North West derby.

And he regretted getting involved in the 25th-minute melee after Wibsey fly half Karl Walker had been tackled late by flanker Edward Sommerville.

Sommerville was sin-binned by Sam Dunkley but so was full back Greenwood for retaliation in the brawl that followed, the original penalty being reversed.

Greenwood said: "Karl is aggressive - that is just the way he plays - but he was tackled both late and high.

"I don't know which of these two he was sin-binned for but he should have been penalised for both - and he was probably their best player."

As for the melee that followed the tackle, Wibsey's skipper said: "It was stupid of me to get involved but it was the heat of the moment."

Both sides were mix and match, with Burley missing five regulars as they were not expecting this match to fall on a league Saturday and Wibsey apparently having five cry-offs on Saturday morning.

Two replacements was as much as either side could muster and the problems for Karl Walker started as early as the fourth minute when he dislocated a finger.

Three minutes later he was concussed after a clash of heads, and when he tried to stand up after treatment he stumbled groggily forwards on to his knees.

Referee Dunkley was happy to give the diminutive fly half some time to recover on the touchline and in the meantime Wibsey soldiered on with 14 men.

A useful chip over the top earned the hosts a five-metre scrum but they couldn't find a chink in the visitors' defence.

Greenwood did some useful work in defence and No 8 Rob Bourne lacked support after a break out of defence, and then came the late tackle and the punch-up where it was difficult to sort out the protagonists from the peacemakers.

In the 29th minute, Burley fly half Andrew Lacey, always prepared to run at the Wibsey defence, was held up over the line.

Karl Walker showed Greenwood that he too could clear his lines well and in the 35th minute centre Jamie Vogel knocked on a half-chance, a nicely-weighted Karl Walker kick then being toe-poked to safety by Burley.

In first-half injury-time, Lacey was again held up over the line but Wibsey will feel aggrieved that they turned round 3-0 behind, Burley scrum half Paul Wheeler landing an injury-time penalty to make up for an earlier effort that he should have kicked.

Visiting centre Craig Stevenson was pulled up for obstruction six minutes into the second half but Wibsey right winger Carl Walker hooked the ball well wide in an effort he didn't hit hard enough.

In the 50th minute, Wibsey conceded a contentious penalty for offside against Bourne, Karl Walker and Dan Horsfall, and Wheeler slotted it for 6-0.

Three minutes later the hosts brought on second row Neil Carter, who had been delayed reaching the ground.

And in the 55th minute Wibsey gained a penalty when Burley came in from the side, and this time Carl Walker confidently landed it.

Seven minutes later, Lacey scored from a close-in attack, Wheeler converting to make it 13-3.

Bourne was held up over the line, and then Greenwood and Karl Walker knocked on half-chances in Burley's left-hand corner.

Carter didn't last the match, falling and twisting his knee in the 76th minute and being replaced by front-rower Graham Larkin, but Burley finished the contest on top, Wheeler's long clearance giving them field position, the scrum half then landing a penalty.

Greenwood was obviously disappointed at how the day panned out but the broader picture should not be forgotten.

Wibsey have four coaches on board, they have up to 30 players training and they are heading in the right direction after what has mostly been a mighty struggle for almost a decade.

And certainly Burley's stand-in captain Paul Pinder recognised some of this, saying: "Wibsey have a good young side and they gave us a very good game."

Wibsey Rugby Union

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