Disappointingly, but probably the norm nowadays, Whitehall suffered late withdrawals, some without notice, of key players, and travelled to the stronghold of Sharlston Rovers with a fully depleted squad.

The ever reliable over fifties contingency of Paul Johnson, Dave Beaumont and Mick Williams made up the numbers, and disappointed coach, Richard Darkes, contemplated defeat before the ball was even kicked.

However Pep Scargill, promoted to Captain, thought differently and lead his team magnificently with an outstanding performance and was well supported by power-house forward, Richard Casanove, and ex-Halifax prop, Stuart Syme.

Sharlston, who sent a weakened first team to a struggling Elland, were expecting to gain the points and included four regulation first teamers who bossed the game.

The first fifteen minutes was a stalemate and Sharlston, who realized the Warriors weren’t going to roll over and lie down, took an easy penalty for a 2-0 lead rather than run the ball.

Lively scrum half, Phil Hill, was proving hard to contain and got over the whitewash wide out for the Rovers.

With the game still tight, Sharlston opted to take another penalty kick and once again extended their lead to 8-0.

The Warriors very vocal wingman, Marcus Gill, rallied his team with some tenacious tackling and determined running to set up the position for a Paul Stead bomb. Pep Scargill jumped high for the ball and handed it back to Ollie Dugdale who, as always, was clinical in his finishing. Needless to say, Dugdale added the extra two points to bring the first half to a close 8-6 in favour of the Rovers.

Richard Darkes’s team talk seemed all in vain as Sharlston cleverly switched play on the last tackle to score in the corner.

As Darkes blasted his team in no uncertain terms under the sticks, he got the required result as James Spivey, who had been pulled into the middle to replace the injured Ricky Middleton, turned up the heat with some menacing runs down the centre of the park and sent in work-horse second rower, Andy Johnson, for a much needed Whitehall try. Dugdale levelled the scores with the conversion.

Sharlston’s "first teamer" stand off, Adam Thaler, went on a tremendous run and sent in fellow "first teamer" Pete Richardson to regain the lead.

Whitehall welcomed back to their team after injury Andrew Green, their try-scoring machine from last season, who took matters into his own hands and chipped the ball over a sleeping Sharlston defence and raced through to level the scores. Dugdale’s conversion gave Whitehall the lead for the first time.

Sharlston rallied and came storming back but were smashed backwards by veterans Paul Johnson, Mick Williams and David "Bomber" Beaumont.

Frustration was setting in for the Rovers and a silly penalty was punished by the rock-solid Dugdale to further extend the Warriors lead.

Pete Williams, Andy Sadler and Simon Howland put in some hard yards and number nine, James Spivey, emulated Man of Steel, James Roby, with the final try of the match scoring with 3 men on his back. Sure-footed Ollie Dugdale crowned a splendid personal performance with a 100% goal kicking record and a well deserved victory for the Warriors.

On Saturday Whitehall entertain Hoyland Vikings at Hipperholme and Lightcliffe School – 2.30pm kick off.