Two second half yellow cards gave Leicester some hope but they still failed to counteract the Harrogate forward power. Harrogate spurned several very kickable penalty opportunities to try for a bonus point winning 4th try but narrowly failed to do this.

Harrogate started by making a mess of the Lions KO but quickly recovered to go on the attack. A well directed Dickie Davies cross kick was brilliantly taken by Luke Edwards. The attack broke down from a knock-on but Harrogate won a strike against the head from the ensuing scrum and No 8, Tim Heaton powered over for a try converted by Charlie Morgan. The pressure continued and, when Leicester were penalised for a high tackle, Morgan’s penalty extended the lead. Still more Harrogate attacks followed till a spilled midfield pass led to them going offside and Jon Boden’s penalty opened the visitors’ account. However this was quickly followed by a Harrogate midfield turnover from which the Lions went offside and Morgan’s kick restore the 10 points difference.

Lions scrum half, Tom Emery sparked an attack but Harrogate won a turnover and a towering Morgan clearance bought play back to the Leicester 22. Continued forward drives followed from the line-out and Sam Brady burst through the cover to score another converted try as half time approached.

Josh Peace, Harrogate’s loose head prop, had to leave the field with an arm injury just before the interval but their scrum superiority continued unabated. Scrum half, Danny Matthews, tucked in behind a 15 metres scrum drive for another converted try to make it 27-3 after 12 minutes of the second half. However, Leicester refused to give up and, despite living off scraps, their talented backs forced Harrogate into defence. Jonny Coser came in from the wrong side in defence, was duly despatched to the bin and Lions prop, Ben Spokes burst through to score a converted try.

Harrogate’s forward power forced Leicester to concede a stream of penalties but, in trying to go for the fourth try, they failed to add to their score. At the death, Leicester showed admirable spirit in giving Harrogate’s defence a serious test but, in spite of Sam Brady being yellow carded, Harrogate held out.

Harrogate: Morgan, Rossillo, Nesbitt, Minikin, Edwards, Davies, Matthews, Peace, Maycock, Dennis, J Brady,
S Brady, J Coser, G Coser, Heaton. Subs:- Yorke, Reaveley, Enslin, Sanderson, Hebblethwaite

Leicester Lions: Olowofela, Benjamin, Hamilton, Boden, Constant, Grayson, Emery, Spokes, Mahoney,
Newton-Taylor, Dallavalle, Tuckey, Martin, Murdoch, Gibbons. Subs:- Taylor, Sio, Hartwell, Smith, McFedries

Referee: Jonathon Cook (RFU)

Match Report by Bill Barack