The dynamic Tim Heaton, who’d been switched to No8, scored the opening try after 4 minutes and this was shortly followed by another from his back row colleague, Alex Rieder after a powerful run from deep. Andy Rock, in his first game for over a year, made a half break from the wing before delivering a scoring reverse pass to Jamie Broadley.

A Rugby defensive mistake then led to loose ball which Broadley quickly snapped up to score a 30 metre try and earn Harrogate a bonus point after 16 minutes. Rob Almond got the next try after a sniping Tom Bugge run created space for him in the corner. Another Harrogate try seemed inevitable but a handling error spilled the ball and Rugby’s Gareth Clarke made a midfield break which was well supported for a try by their ex Harrogate winger, Ian Renard. Alex Stajka’s conversion made it 31-7.

Rock then again created space for Broadley’s 3rd try who then took his turn at setting up an Ed Smithies try. Concerted driving mauls on the Rugby line then resulted in a Jake Brady try to make it 52-7 at the interval.

From the restart, Rieder snapped up a loose ball and slipped it to replacement centre, Sam Bottomley, who raced 40 metres to score. Almond had taken over the place kicking duties and landed the first of what was to be 7 successful conversions, some from very wide out. Replacement flanker, Chris Wilson, scored the next try before another Bugge break led to yet another Almond try. Brady’s second try followed sustained forward pressure and resulted in a minor dust-up between the 2 packs.

Rugby’s “never say die” spirit led to a good combined attack but Harrogate turned over possession in their own 22 and a counter attack led to another Smithies try. Another attack from deep led to a converted Kyle Dench try and, in the last move of the match, another break out from defence led to Broadley scoring his 4th try in the corner. Almond’s narrow missed conversion spoiled his 100% kicking record and prevented Harrogate from hitting the ton.

Harrogate: Smithies, Almond, Dench, Broadley (Rock 40), Aspinall (Carmichael 35), Bugge, Browne (Watt 42), Maycock (Weaving 40), Tampin, Brady, Lodge, Rieder, Beaumont (Wilson 29), Heaton

Rugby: Mayland, Dowsett, Clarke, Young, Renard, Stajka, Shore, Nuttall, Spokes, Shipway, Grimmett, Tucker, Davies, Munro, Walton

Referee: Trevor Fisher (RFU)

Man of Match: Rob Almond (Harrogate)

Harrogate Tries: Heaton (2), Rieder (4), Broadley (10,16,30 & 42)Almond (25 & 56), Smithies (35 & 75)Brady (42 & 63), Wilson (51), Dench (77), Bottomley (83)

Conversions: Aspinall (10,16,25,30 & 35), Almond ( 42, 43, 51, 56,63,75 & 77)

Rugby Tries: Renard (27)

Conversions: Stajka (27)

Match Report by Bill Barrack

Photos by David Aspinall and Richard Bown