It was all change once again for the Whitehall team with 6 players being unavailable from the previous week.

However, there was a positive, with the return of Club Captain and standoff General Barry Stead, who had been sorely missed in the previous 2 matches.

Barry’s brother and scrum half, Paul, also came into the team and crowned an outstanding personal performance with 2 tries and the Man of the Match award.

The Warriors started brightly enough and Phil Gee, entrusted with war horse Stuart Syme’s shirt, took the initiative and made many hard yards from his open side prop position. Fellow prop Pete Williams was in equally determined mood and made several surging runs, taking the Warriors deep into Odsal territory.

From the good position gained, Andrew Johnson, who runs well above his body weight, blasted over for a well deserved try. "General" Stead added the extra 2 points.

Odsal’s half backs Bryn Worsley and Duane Platt were causing the Warriors difficulties and between them got Sedbergh over the whitewash.

Baz Stead drove Odsal back time and again with his astute tactical kicking and Richard Casanove, Rhys Brown and Alex Scargill were all held short of the line. The pressure eventually told when Baz Stead combined with Lee Evans to send in speedy wingman Geraint Jones, only for ref Kim Tinsdale to disallow the try for a short grounding.

Whitehall were looking well in control and Scargill and Paul Barraclough made piercing inroads to the Sedbergh line. On the last tackle, Paul Stead chipped the ball from 5 metres and the ball ricocheted straight back into his own hands and the scrum half gratefully took the spoils. Brother Baz converted the extra 2 points to give Whitehall a 12-6 half time lead.

Within minutes of the re-start Odsal conceded a penalty for foul play and Stead increased the lead with the penalty.

Whitehall then seemed determined to throw this game away with some very loose play and poor tackling which allowed Odsal back into the game with 2 converted tries.

This purple patch that Odsal had hit looked set to continue when Bryn Worsley sprinted away for what looked like being a duplicate of his previous try. Fortunately for Whitehall they have lads equally as fast and Paul Barraclough tackled his man to save the Warriors.

This seemed to be a turning point in the match and Richard Casanove and Phil Gee put in some devastating hits which allowed Whitehall to regain control. As they worked the ball back upfield, with steady play from Andy Sadler, Lee Evans and fellow newcomer Martin Robinson, the magic of Baz Stead combined with the skill of ‘Bart’ Evans put the lively Paul Stead over for his 2^nd try. Baz Stead’s conversion put the Warriors back in front by 2 points.

Sedbergh never gave up and kept up the pressure in this closely contested match, however it was Whitehall that were to take the spoils as their returning maestro Baz Stead eluded the Odsal defenders when he glided past them all for Whitehall’s final try, which he also goaled.

On Saturday Whitehall are at home to Littleborough.