Sale vs Harrogate

The 13-13 half time score was a poor reflection of Harrogate’s forward dominance. However, Sale stiffened their scrummaging after the interval and made good use of the extra possession to finish clear winners.

An early Noel Minikin midfield break was checked and Sale went offside at the subsequent ruck, 30 metres from their goal line. Charlie Morgan’s penalty attempt bounced off the upright but Sale knocked on and a scrum was awarded to increase the Harrogate pressure. Sale were driven backwards and penalised at the scrum. Morgan duly kicked this one to put Harrogate 3 points ahead.

A Harrogate offside offence then led to a penalty and a Sale attacking line-out. From the driving maul, prop Joe Kelly burst through some poor defence to score a try converted by Liam McGovern. Sale’s Ben Curry was then yellow carded for a blatant offside offence and Morgan’s penalty kick made it 6-7. Sale were then penalised at a succession of Harrogate driving scrums. Harrogate opted for a scrum on each occasion until the referee’s patience finally ran out and a penalty try was awarded, converted by Morgan.

From the restart, Harrogate were penalised for holding and McGovern’s kick made it 10-13. On the stroke of half time, Harrogate’s scrum was penalised and McGovern’s penalty equalised the scores.

Soon after the interval, a wild Harrogate midfield pass was well tidied by Morgan but they were penalised at the resulting maul and McGovern kicked Sale into the lead. Harrogate’s restart kick went straight into touch and Sale’s improved scrum won them possession. The ball was quickly channelled to centre, Jack Moorhouse who scored a converted try from an excellent outside break.

Jonny Giles had to tidy yet another Harrogate midfield fumble but the Sale pressure continued and powerful centre, Scott Rawlings scored another converted try. Their bonus point converted try followed from an attack on the left, scored by No8, Tom Ailes. Harrogate continued to mount attacks from well won possession but failed to break through the Sale defence.

Sale: McGovern, Simpson, Moorehouse, Rawlings, Conville, Johnson, Townsend, Birchall, Briggs, Kelly,
W Davies, Rawlings, Curry, Ailes. Subs:- Sanderson, Bache, Barker, Mayor, Leader

Harrogate: Morgan, Giles, Nesbitt, Minikin, Edwards, R Davies, Matthews, Ward, Maycock, Dennis, J Brady,
S Brady, J Coser, G Coser, Heaton. Subs:- Larder, Peace, Nwanazia, Armiger, Wickham.

Referee: Jonathon Cooke

Match report by Bill Barrack