Tight head, Ben Boothman locked a solid front row with support from locks, Andy Boyde & Jake Brady and a powerful drive forced Lucs to concede a penalty at the first scrum. This proved to be the pattern of the match though the first score was a home penalty from Johnny Morris when Harrogate went offside after a series of midfield mistakes.

Dazzling Harrogate back attacks followed featuring Harry Parrish, Luke Edwards, Lewis Minikin and Sam Bottomley. However their first try came after Boyde stripped the ball from a Lucs forward drive and ran 20 metres to the goal line with power and pace. Bottomley was in support to score.

The Lucs pack then hit a purple patch and mounted a series of forward drives from good line-out ball. Mike Cheasley drove strongly and fed No8, Danny Smith who crashed over for a good try. Parrish then supported a trademark Bottomley break to score and put Harrogate 8-10 ahead at the interval.

The second half started with Boyde and Willem Enslin dominating the close quarter exchanges and Chris Wilson ruling the lines-out. However, Harrogate went offside and Morris’s kick put Lucs back in front. That was more or less the end of the game as a contest as the Harrogate backs then raised their game to take control. A Minikin penalty restored the lead then Tim Heaton stole Lucs’ line-out ball to set up another attack. Cam Leadley carried the move on, passed to Edwards who fed Minikin for an excellent converted try.

An attempted Lucs counter attack ended when Callum Irvine, Harrogate’s replacement stand-off intercepted a pass to race in from half way to sore another converted try. Luctonians fought to the end and a powerful run from flanker Matt Hackley was supported by replacement hooker Jordan Street who scored a consolation converted try.

Luctonians: Burton, Kelly, Langdon, Morris, Norris, T Jones, Boxhall, M Jones, Garner, White, Cheasley, Freydell, Monkley, Hackley, Smith. Substitutes (all used);- Powell, Street, Dines, Talbot, Hodnett

Harrogate: Parrish, Bottomley, Minikin, Leadley, Edwards, Frost, Matthews, Cutino, Larder, Boothman, Brady, Boyde, Wilson, Heaton, Enslin. Replacements (all used):- Nyemba, Ward, Coser, Irvine, Wickham

Referee: Brendan McGaffney (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack