Saturday saw Dearne kick off their delayed re-start to the Yorkshire Counties 4 league season away against Hessle RUFC. Having not played in the league since Decembers home win against Sheffield Medics, the first team were excited to get their league campaign back up and running as they look to secure promotion to Yorkshire 3.

The opening stage of the game saw a Dearne Valley team who maybe underestimated their opposition and took things fore granted. Sloppiness in defence, and a drop in work rate to fold round the ruck resulted in Hessle opening the scoring with a converted try to take an early lead 7-0. Dearne responded immediately with an easy penalty in front of the posts to cut the deficit to 4 points, but were yet to find their rhythm.

Dearne, struggling to exit their own half and giving Hessle easy territory with some mis-placed kicks, again found themselves defending hectically in their own 22. A box kick from scrum half Alex Roebuck was caught by the Hessle fullback who found support out wide for the home side to run in another easy score. The conversion was missed and the score stood at 12-3 with only 15 minutes gone. Dearne, finally getting some territory following a few smart kicks from Shaw and Gorton, managed to score their first try of the afternoon as captain Ben Hartley crashed through the opposition defensive line before beating the fullback to score near the sticks. Conversion successful the deficit was now 2 points as Hessle maintained their 12-10 lead.

Dearne, having just said to eachother the importance of playing in the correct areas of the field, again were their own worst enemy as time and time again they struggled to dominate territory or get any consistent phases going in attack. Hessle, utilising their forward carriers, again stressed the Dearne defence before coming back to the short side in a 3 v 2 which resulted in their third try of the afternoon. Conversion missed, the score was 17-10 with 10 minutes remaining till half time.

The away team finally started to get their lineout functioning and multiple phases going in attack. Fast hands down the entire back line gave Jack Duggan a chance to slide in on the right hand touchline for an unconverted try to bring the game back to within two points at 17-15. Not long later, in almost identical fashion Duggan slid in for his second of the afternoon on the right hand touchline and Stephen Shaw converted to extend the lead to 17-22. Dearne were not finished yet though as, with the likely try of the afternoon, Dearne ran a smart wrap around play from a scrum in midfield to find Sam Holt 15 metres out with only two defenders left to beat, which he calmly dispatched, to slide in on the left hand touchline on the stroke of half time. Half time score 17-27 with the away team having survived an early onslaught from the home side.

The message at half time was clear, play in the right areas of the field and keep our discipline and the game would come to us. However, the second half started in the worst possible way with Hessle again utilising the short side to score in the corner for an unconverted try, 22-27 with 35 minutes remaining. Stephen Shaw scored an easy penalty 10 minutes into the second half to extend the lead to 7 points before Ant Hamilton finished off an almost length of the field break away from the away team. Shaw missed the conversion and the score was 22-35 with just under 30 minutes left to play.

Hessle now started to fatigue and Dearne gained stronghold within the game. Sam Holt crashed over from close range for his second of the afternoon, with Stephen Shaw's conversion making it 22-42 before another easy penalty extended the lead to 23 points, 22-45 with 10 minutes remaining.

Dearne appeared to take their foot off the gas as they conceded another two tries to Hessle in the final third of the game, likely as a result of poor discipline and a laziness creeping in meaning not all defenders were getting back onside. However, Ben Hartley had the final say with a try from close range to finish the game off. Final score over in East Yorkshire Hessle 34, Dearne Valley RUFC 50.

"We didn't defend well at all in parts of that game and to concede 6 tries we are really disappointed with" said captain Ben Hartley. Speaking after the game, Director of Rugby Callum Emery spoke of his frustration in the away teams defensive display. "We pride ourselves on our defence, and our record so far this season speaks for itself. So although we are happy to get the win, there is lots of work to do on the training field in order to get back to where we were."

The 16 point win, and securing the bomus point for scoring more than four tries, puts Dearne on 57 points from 13 games. Sheffield Medics, their nearest rival in the league, salvaged a 12-12 draw way against Knottingley RUFC which means the men in black now stand 12 points clear at the top of the table with 5 games remaining.

They continue their promotion charge this weekend at Wortley RUFC.