Harrogate made a dream start from the kick-off. Well recycled ball gave Kyle Dench possession in space from which he made an incisive break. A beautifully timed reverse pass released co-centre Jamie Broadley who split the visiting defence to score an under the posts try, converted by Mike Aspinall.

Further Harrogate attacks followed but they consistently fell foul of Mr Fitzmaurice’s judgement and Fylde showed their forwards’ strength with a succession of driving mauls from penalties. Eventually they were penalised for not rolling away from a tackle and visiting centre, Mike Waywell, kicked a penalty goal to make the score 7-3. Further Fylde driving mauls followed and it was that man Waywell again who scored and converted to put the visitors 7-10 ahead.

An even period of play followed with the Fylde pack attempting to dominate and the talented Harrogate backs exciting the crowd with their dazzling running. During this period, a foot in touch near the goal line denied Broadley a second try and Ed Smithies seemed certain to score but elected to pass and the opportunity was lost.

Harrogate continued to attack from the re-start and Fylde strayed offside at a maul. Aspinall’s penalty kick evened the scores and the home pressure mounted. A brilliant Aspinall cross kick was gathered by winger Noel Minniken who was making his first start for the 1st team. He made good ground before passing to Dan Harland who continued the break before passing to Alex Rieder who crashed over in the corner. Aspinall’s touchline conversion put Harrogate into a 17-10 lead.

Fylde counter attacked and flanker, Steven McGinnis supported well to score in the right hand corner. A further Aspinall penalty restored the 5 point difference though there was real puzzlement at the kick being given instead of an apparently good try. Fylde again countered well but were thwarted by a brilliant try saving tackle by Dench.

The 5 point lead looked precarious but Harrogate persisted in kicking possession away from attacking situations. From one of these situations, Fylde stand -off, Richard Kenyon supported his forwards well to drive over and even the scores,

An injured Broadley was replaced on 63 minutes and this definitely reduced Harrogate’s attacking potential. An attempted clearance went into touch on the full and Fylde’s McGinnis broke strongly from the back of the line-out. He then supported well from the ensuing maul to score and put Fylde ahead by 5 points. A bonus point seemed scant reward for all Harrogate’s efforts but even that was denied them when Fylde’s man of the match, Dan Waller backed up an Oliver Brennand break to score the game’s final try

Harrogate: Smithies, Almond, Dench, Broadley (Bugge 63), Minikin, Aspinall, Wickham, Browne (Watt 76), Maycock, Fraser (Reavley 79), Brady (Johnson 79), Spencer, Reider (Beaumont 69), Harland, Enston

Fylde: Wallwork, Hart, Briers, Waywell, Brennand, Kenyon, Aikman, Thoma, Roddam, Altham, Arnold, Ferguson, Waller, McGinnis, Beaumont

Tries:

Harrogate — Broadley 1, Reider 49
Fylde — Waywell 10, Aikman 52, Kenyon 69, McGinnis 76,Waller 79

Conversions:

Harrogate Aspinall 45 & 64
Fylde Wawell 12

Penalties:

Harrogate 45 & 64

Crowd 320

Match Report by Bill Barrack