HUDDERSFIELD RU put in a valiant effort but went down 52-21 to Wharfedale in the second round of the Yorkshire Cup.
While Huddersfield's forwards contested gamely against their National II opponents, Wharfedale's back division was an entirely different matter.
Almost physically interchangeable with their forwards, they were too big, too fast, and too elusive for an outside defence that had succeeded in blunting Leeds Tykes to defeat in the first round last week.
Lapsing back into their season-long problem of upper body grappling was not the way to stop a six-foot back line at speed, and Wharfedale simply poured through with a fine display of fast running rugby.
Even tackling stalwarts like centre Lee Paxman were by-passed by speed of passing alone, and it was left to the lightest man on the field, Huddersfield's promising Academy scrum half Tom Ainsworth, to show how to do it, one classical hit upon flying four-try winger James Hutchinson particularly lingering in the memory.
Any early rhythm disappeared with the loss of captain Mark Sowerby to a yellow card after only four minutes, and the game was effectively won in the first quarter, by which time Huddersfield were 19 points adrift, and even after Sowerby's return Wharfedale continued to score at regular intervals until half-time.
Turning round 38-0 down Huddersfield had a mountain to climb, but they reorganised and won the second half 21-14 with excellent team tries by scrum-half Damian Clayton, stand-off Chris Johnson and winger Ben Paxman, all converted by Johnson.
But by then Wharfedale had probably decided to save themselves for challenges to come.
Huddersfield now have to regroup for their final North I fixture of the season, at Chester on Saturday, but after this it ought to be a busman's holiday.
They are still in with an outside chance of a final third place, which would be very commendable, beyond pre-season expectation, and a credit to the work throughout the season that the squad has put in for Director of Rugby, coach, and captain, Mark Sowerby.
