The game started with waves of Harrogate attacks and dominant scrummaging forced Tynedale’s pack to concede a penalty. Charlie Morgan’s kick made it 0-3 after 5 minutes play. The Harrogate pressure continued with powerful Willem Enslin runs challenging the home defence. A high tackle on him gave Harrogate another penalty which Morgan duly kicked to make it 0-6.

A rib injury forced Harrogate hooker, Tom Larder, to retire and be replaced by Aarin Yorke. An excellent Morgan take of a high Tynedale kick resulted in him being Harrogate’s next casualty with a leg injury. This led to DOR Doc Doherty making his Harrogate debut and he soon made his presence felt with some incisive runs.

Tynedale were now coming more into the game and were awarded a penalty which gave them an attacking line-out. Flanker, Ben Haigh drove over for a try converted by Ash Smith to give Tynedale a 1 point lead. A sharp Doherty break was then well supported by Alex Nesbitt and Tynedale went offside in defence. Doherty duly slotted the penalty to put Harrogate back in front but, on the stroke of half time, a powerful driving maul was penalised and Smith’s kick made it 10-9 at the break.

Harrogate continued to dominate the set pieces in the second half but Joe Mills, Tynedale’s inspirational captain was at the heart of home attacks from limited possession. Scott Powell, their No8 and a former Harrogate player, was held up over the goal line but the home pressure continued and Haigh crashed over for his second converted try.

A strong run from defence by Harrogate full back, Harry Barnard set up a counter attack but a knock-on ended the move. A Tynedale pass was then intercepted by Jonny Giles who made a 40 metres break before being overhauled just short of the home goal line. Tynedale came back into attack but Harrogate stole another line-out from them and Morgan, who’d returned to the field , relieved the pressure with an excellent clearance. Harrogate then set up a succession of attacking driving mauls and, when the ball was released, a wide Doherty miss-pass to the left led to a Giles try converted by Doherty. This made the score 17-16 and both sides continued to attack at every opportunity. However, the final score came from a Smith penalty after Harrogate were adjudged to have come in from the side at a breakdown.

Tynedale: Mock, Hadfield, Harrison, Miller, Maloney, Smith, Taylor, Southern, Frankland, Elliot, Dunn, Cousin, Davies, Powell, Mills. Subs:- Lowdon, Haigh, Gaff, Outson, Dixon

Harrogate: Barnard, Giles, Nesbitt, Edwards, Parrish, Morgan, Matthews, Ward, Larder, Reaveley, Harvey,
S Brady, J Coser, Enslin, G Coser. Subs:- Maycock, Dennis, Brougham, Yorke, Doherty

Referee: Ben Davis (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack