Rosslyn Park scored seven tries – some of them real crackers – in a vastly entertaining 49-26 win over Wharfedale on Saturday.

The visitors looked a more limited side than on previous visits in terms of ability, but contributed massively in terms of effort and spirit.

Few would begrudge them the penalty try in the last seconds of the match that secured them an unlikely bonus point.

Park started well with skipper Hugo Ellis breaking up the right, Wharfedale defended well, and had the first real chance with a penalty on half way, but centre Tom Davidson’s kick was well wide.

The home side put together a sparkling attack, flinging the ball at speed to both wings before gaining a penalty in front of the posts.

Surrey Comet:

Club legend: Harry Rowlands on the attack

Fly half Tom Whelan kicked to touch and Park drove over for Ellis to claim the try, Whelan converting for 7-0 on 12 minutes.

Winger Adam Field made a sprint up the right, but a flowing move was halted by a handling error and ‘Dale cleared on the strong breeze.

The Park pack twice kippered their opponents at the scrum, the second time after another flowing move had been halted for a forward pass.

The ball was passed wide, and back inside where centre Kiba Richards dived in by the posts, Whelan again converting for 14-0 on 18 minutes.

Wharfedale showed they were not there to just make up the numbers with a good attack up their left, but the vital pass was knocked on.

They very nearly caught Park out, forcing a 5 metre scrum as Park tried to play their way out of trouble from behind their own line.

Eventually the ball went to scrum half Jack Gash in the left corner, who went through a gap, sprinted up the field and two passes and seconds later Adam Field touched down in the diagonally opposite corner.

A great try was matched by a superb touchline conversion by Whelan for 21-0 on 27 minutes.

Wharfedale tried to take the game to Park but were undone again with a great run out of defence by prop Aaron Liffchak.

Surrey Comet:

Leading the way: Luke Campbell on the attack 

He passed to winger Dave Vincent who made good ground to pass to Richards who feinted, shimmied and passed to hooker Scott Wright who crashed over.

The hooker’s joy was short-lived when the try was ruled out for an illegal restraint of ‘Dale scrum half James Doherty. But Park soon won the ball back and Ellis powered through for his second try, converted by Whelan for 28-0 and the bonus point on 35 minutes.

A yellow card for Wharfedale hooker Ian Larkin had not helped their cause, but Park’s Liffchak was also carded after an unnecessary piece of spoiling under the referee’s nose.

The penalty was hoisted to the corner and lock Richard Rhodes crashed over from the throw on the stroke of half time. Davidson nailed a super touchline conversion for 28-7.

Park started the second period still in top gear and it was not long before another almost end-to-end movement through several pairs of hands ended with Field bagging his second try in the corner.

Another superb conversion kick from Whelan made it 35-7.

Surrey Comet:

Dealing with it: Jack Gash under pressure

Game Wharfedale made another good attack but again spoilt it with a handling error.

Field sprinted away on a counter attack and when he was tackled full-back Cameron Cowell hacked the ball on and over the try line but Vincent’s effort to get their first and touch down was ruled out on the intervention of the touch judge.

However, Park maintained the pressure from the 5 metre scrum and as their powerful pack turned the screw the referee ran behind the posts to award the penalty try - Whelan converted for 42-7.

The match won by now, Park more or less emptied the bench but plucky Wharfedale kept plugging away, won a penalty that was dispatched to the corner and number eight Josh Burridge got over.

Davidson hit another splendid conversion kick for 42-14 with 19 minutes remaining.

Park got themselves penalised at their own line out to hand Dale another penalty.

It did not go to waste as, again, the catch and drive was set up and Rhodes was driven over for his second score on 70 minutes. Suddenly the ‘Green Machine’ were within sniffing distance of the four-try bonus point.

Surrey Comet:

Take two: Double try scorer Park skipper Hugo Ellis on the charge

Park were still playing their flowing rugby, and looked to have put the lid on things when a great run out of his own half by Harry Broadbent opened up the defence for flanker Jamie Harries to score by the posts. Whelan made it seven conversions out of 7 for 49-19 on 74 minutes.

But still ‘Dale refused to just give up and they had the glimmer of a chance in the last moments when Sam Shires committed a professional foul to slow down release and was sent to the bin.

Wharfedale set up a massive siege on the home line, forcing Park to stop them by illegal means and eventually the referee awarded the penalty try, Davidson converted with the last kick of the match for 49-26.

Another bonus point win sees Park still in third place, three points behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders.

Park: Cowell; Field, Richards, Ireland, Vincent; Whelan; Gash; Liffchak, Wright, Palfreman; Inglis, Bowley; Shires, Harries, Ellis.

Subs: Bellamy, Brown, Broadbent, Hoadley, Mama.