The game opened with sparkling, inventive attacks from Harrogate’s backs which failed to break the Huddersfield defence. In the eighth minute, Huddersfield made their 1st visit into the visitors’ half, Harrogate went offside and kicking machine, Chris Johnson duly bagged the 3 points. The Harrogate attacking pattern continued but the home pack were gaining ascendency. Huddersfield stole a Harrogate lineout in the 16th minute and set up a counter attack from which centre, Tom Van Rooyen scored a converted try.

Johnson then kicked a second penalty followed by a drop goal to extend Huddersfield’s lead. Harrogate’s re-start kicks failed to go the required 10 metres from each of these scores which surrendered further vital possession.

The visitors continued to attempt attacking rugby from all situations and seemed certain to score from a clear two man overlap on the right. However, instead of using the overlap, a wild miss pass to the wing went directly into touch. Soon afterwards, a Harrogate “hands in” offence gave Johnson a further penalty and Huddersfield a 24 points lead at the interval.

Harrogate’s defence tightened up in the second half with good work from flankers Alex Rieder and Dan Harland. Huddersfield’s former Harrogate flanker, Gareth Lewis, illegally pulled Kyle Dench back as he followed an attacking kick. Dench’s retaliation led to a minor, general fracas and the 2 instigators (both teachers) paid a 10 minute visit to the sin bin.

A further Harrogate “hands in” offence gave Johnson 3 more points before a Harrogate forward drive, featuring replacement Tom Bugge, led to quick ball. A clever Mike Aspinall cross kick was well taken by Rob Almond on the opposite wing to score Harrogate’s only try. The move was repeated shortly afterwards but Almond was somewhat harshly judged to have been ahead of the kicker.

Huddersfield: Hall, Wood, Owen, Van Rooyen, Clark, Johnson, Hinchcliffe, Battye, Morrill, Stringwell, Brown, Rhodes, Hinchcliff, Lewis, Sharpe

Harrogate: Smithies, Chalmers, Dench, Broadley, Almond, Aspinall, Wickham, Fraser, Weaving, Tampin, Wilson, Brady, Rieder, Harland, Enston

Referee: Will Halford (RFU)