Joe Collingham, the impressive Leicester No8 opened the scoring with a well worked try from the front of an attacking line-out. He powered through some non-existent tackling and Jon Williams’s touchline conversion put the Lions 7 points ahead. Harrogate then put some attacking moves together following well controlled forward drives. The ball was released, moved along the line and smart handling led to Lewis Minikin darting through for a fine try which he converted.

This proved to be Harrogate’s only score of the half. The Lions excellent scrum half, Adam Shaw tidied up loose ball to create another home attack, Harrogate went offside and Williams kicked the penalty to restore their lead. A Shaw break then sparked off another Leicester attack. Flanker John Murdoch was in support to score a converted try in the right corner. Good Harrogate scrummaging was frustrated by some mystifying refereeing decisions but they were mounting sporadic attacks when they were penalised for “hands in” and Williams’s penalty made it 20-7 at the break.

Harrogate had won the second half of every game this season and it happened again today. Replacement scrum half, Danny Matthews tightened things up at the base and a strong Barry Frost midfield break set up a fine try. The move seemed to be checked in the corner but Callum Irvine was in support to score and Minikin converted from the touchline. A huge Irvine line kick led to a home line-out but new father, Tim Heaton stole the ball and launched a counter attack. However Harrogate were penalised and Williams landed another well taken penalty. Almost immediately, it was Leicester who went offside and Minikin’s kick brought the score to 23-17.

A further exchange of penalties led to the final score though Harrogate were frustrated by a rash of seemingly bizarre refereeing decisions towards the end.

Leicester Lions: N Taylor, Veebel, Byron, Williams, Benjamin, Hargreaves, Shaw, Spokes. O Taylor, Murray, Roach, Tuckey, Young, Murdoch, Collingham. Subs (all used) Dean, Nairn,Bishop, Constant, Rudkin

Harrogate: Parrish, Rosillo, Minikin, Frost, Edwards, Irvine, Wickham, Purkiss-McEndoo, Yorke, Reaveley, Brady, Boyde, Wilson, Coser, Heaton. Subs (all used) Larder, Ward, Boothman, Smith, Matthews.

Referee: Alexis Manley (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack
Photos by David Aspinall