An early Stockport knock-on gave Harrogate an attacking scrum. Debutant prop, George Stuffins combined well with Ben Reaveley and Nico Nyemba to give Harrogate a solid platform. Willem Enslin picked up at the base of the scrum and drove over to score. Callum Irvine’s touchline conversion made it 0-7 in the second minute.

Loose midfield play from both sides led to repeated turnovers and a Harrogate offside offence gave Stockport a penalty and an attacking line-out. Prop Andrew Fuller crashed over from a well constructed driving maul. The same pattern continued and, when Stockport were penalised, Reaveley tucked in to extend Harrogate’s lead with a converted try from a driving maul.

The excellent conditions led to attacking rugby from both sides though Harrogate were guilty of kicking too much possession away. Incisive back play from Sam Bottomley and Luke Edwards was matched by the strong running of home centres, Myles Hall and Jamie Anthony. Stockport were next to score when flanker, Sam Graham supported a Hall break and Ashley Platt-Hughes’s conversion made it 12-14 after quarter of an hour.

Almost immediately Stockport took the lead. A clever attacking chip was well defended by Harrogate’s Harry Barnard but an attacking line-out followed and Callum Baldwin scored a converted try. For the rest of the half, Harrogate’s attempts to re-impose themselves were thwarted by a combination of good home defence and some refereeing decisions which were difficult to understand.

Stockport attacked from the resumption and Harrogate increased the pressure on themselves by conceding 2 yellow cards within 2 minutes. With Danny Matthews and Andy Boyde “in the bin”, Harrogate still defended well but the ball was eventually recycled left and Hall took advantage of the overlap to score in the corner.

The introduction of Kyle Dench from the bench stiffened Harrogate’s midfield. Stockport went offside at a Harrogate attack and, although still down to 14 men, Irvine’s penalty kick reduced the home lead. Restored to a full complement, Harrogate began to exert more control and a Dench midfield break led to a Bottomley try after good support from Stuffins and Reaveley.

The Harrogate backs were now playing more incisively and a deep attack took play up to the Stockport line. A Boyde converted try from a driving maul put Harrogate ahead with 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Stockport continued to attack with spirit but Harrogate’s defence was largely able to keep play in the Stockport half for the rest of the game.

Stockport: Platt-Hughes, Barlow, Kaciubskyj, J Anthony, Hall, J Edwards, Batterbury, Fuller, Longmore,
C Anthony, Eccles, Waddington, Graham, Marsland, Baldwin. Subs Fletcher, Broadhurst, Rimmer

Harrogate: Parrish, Bottomley, Minikin, L Edwards, Barnard, Irvine, Matthews, Stuffins, Nyemba, Reaveley, Brady, Harvey, Coser, Wood, Enslin. Subs Yorke, Boyde, Dewsnip, Morland, Dench

Referee: Chris Bennett (RFU)

match report by Bill Barrack
photos by David Aspinall