However, the main difference was the collective team spirit which overcame crucial injuries on the day and enabled them to hold on when a red card reduced them to 14 men for the last out for the final 15 minutes.

In the pre-match warm up, Matt Lansdall sustained a badly torn hamstring so Alex Nesbitt was promoted from the bench and his place was taken by DOR, Mike Aspinall. Nevertheless, in the opening minute, Harrogate’s pack won excellent turnover ball and Danny Matthews’s quick pass put Callum Irvine into just enough space to break the Chester cover. He danced through the home defence in a mesmerising 35 metres run to score and give Lewis Minikin a straightforward conversion. Chester immediately counter attacked but Harrogate’s defence held firm until they went offside and a Rhys Hayes penalty opened the home account.

A long Irvine line kick then set up more pressure on Chester’s line forcing them to concede a penalty. The resulting attacking line-out led to a well controlled driving maul from which Willem Enslin drove over and Lewis MInikin’s touchline conversion made it 3-14. Harrogate’s defence then contained Chester counters and, from another turnover, Irvine put in a long clearance kick. He was then “taken out” by a very late tackle and Chester were fortunate that the referee only chose to award a penalty where the ball had landed.

Chester’s pacey backs continued to look dangerous and Harrogate’s defence did concede some penalties which, despite changing their kickers, Chester missed. Quickly spun ball from a line-out led to Sam Bottomley bursting through an initial attempted tackle and powering through the home defence for Harrogate third try. Towards the end of the half, Chester’s backs finally got through Harrogate’s defence and Josh Wilson finished the move with a good try. The conversion failed as did another late penalty goal attempt.

After the interval, home centre Craig Ross broke strongly and the ball was quickly recycled for winger Sean Green to score. The Harrogate pack then won yet another turnover, Chester went offside in defence and a Lewis Minikin penalty made it 13-22. An even period of play followed with both teams defending well against inventive back play.

Throughout the match, Harrogate’s dominant front row was well supported by the 2nd Row Brady brothers and a hard working, scavenging back row, However, the balance of power seemed to have changed when Tom Harvey was red carded for adjudged stamping. Nevertheless, Harrogate’s seven man pack continued to rule the scrums though their reduced defence was continually stretched. Continued attacks eventually created space for substitute Adam King to score but, almost inevitably, the conversion was missed.

From the restart, Chester’s defence fumbled a high Irvine kick and Noel Minikin stripped the ball from the defender to sprint clear and score Harrogate bonus point winning try. Chester continued to attack and, in the dying moments, King scored his second try to earn them a second bonus point. Harrogate’s team spirit was then epitomised by Lewis Minikin charging down the attempted conversion

Chester: Hayes, Wilson, Ross, Foden, Green, Bennett, Williams, Woods, Blackwell, Strudwick, Jones, White, Joseph, Bown, Ford. Subs used:- Smith, King, Moore.

Harrogate: L Minikin, Bottomley, N Minikin, Nesbitt, Aspin, Irvine, Matthews, Purkis-McEndoo, Jarder, Reaveley, J Brady, S Brady, Harvey, J Coser, Enslin. Subs:- Maycock, Ward, G Coser, Boyde, Aspinall

Referee: Neil Chivers (RFU)

Match Report by Bill Barrack
Match Photos by David Aspinall