Roundhegians 14 Wath 36

Having made a good start to the season Wath faced a big test as they travelled to Roundhegians, a side that was in Yorkshire One in 2023-24.
For the opening 20 minutes the Wath team played some exceptional rugby to blitz the home team. Powerful centre, Steve Mason, received the ball 10 metres from his opponents line and scattered defenders to score under the posts, after just 3 minutes. Stand off Jack Whitlam made the score 0-7, with a simple conversion.
Flanker, Oli Stirling and second row, Luke Stead added tries from mauls following line outs, in the 15th and 20th minutes . By converting Steads try, Whitlam put Wath 0-19 in front. On the half hour flanker, Joe Earp, used all his experience to touch down for a pushover try and gain his side a bonus point. Wath went 0-26 clear with the conversion.
The home team did manage to fight their way back into the game before half time, scoring a converted try from open play to make the score 7-26.
The away team extended their lead 10 minutes into the second half. Following excellent work in the backs, winger Alex Butterworth had the pace and power to finish the move in the corner. The conversion went wide but Wath had re-established their lead at 7- 31.
Roundhegians scored after 55 minutes, again from open play and the conversion closed the score to 14-31. Wath appeared to have lost their sharpness but remained in control . With 10 minutes left Earp completed the scoring with Wath’s 6th try, again from the back of the scrum. The score moved to 14- 36 and remained so until the final whistle.
Wath coaches were delighted with the opening 20 minutes in particular, and will hope to build on this early season success.
This week’s Man of Steel was the hard running Steve Mason whose presence was a continued threat to the opposition defence.
Steve
Pres.