The home management of a new RFU head injury directive lead to some confusion and Harrogate’s Sam Brady being unnecessarily taken off midway through the first half. This didn’t help the home cause though the overall penalty count against them was probably the main factor.

A great Phil Wickham aerial take set up an early Harrogate attack, Tynedale went offside and Doc Doherty’s kick gave Harrogate an early 3-0 lead. Minutes later, a sharp Wickham break was well supported and Doherty was on hand to take the scoring pass for a converted try. The home pressure continued with their superior scrummaging keeping Tynedale on the back foot but Sam Brady’s enforced departure gave Tynedale some respite and they won an attacking line-out when a Harrogate driving maul was penalised. Lock, Graeme Dunn powered over to score a try converted by Ash Smith.

There was an even start to the second half with both sides playing positively and a long Doherty clearance turned a Tynedale attack into a defensive line-out. More Tynedale pressure followed but Noel Minikin won a tremendous defensive turnover, the ball was quickly spread right and Doherty’s pace and balance took him clear of the defence for a great 60 metres individual try to make it 15-7.

Both sides continued to attack but Harrogate conceded penalties all too frequently and an offside offence gave Smith another 3 points. A prolonged period of Tynedale pressure followed and Smith squeezed over in the corner and converted his own try to put Tynedale 15-17 ahead. Another penalty against Harrogate resulted in a Tynedale attacking line-out . The ball was spread right and winger Jonny Mock scored the game’s final try. The conversion was missed so Harrogate had the narrow consolation of a losing bonus point.

Harrogate: Rosillo, Barnard, Naylor, Minikin, Giles, Doherty, Wickham, Dennis, Yorke, Reaveley, J Brady, S Brady,
J Coser, G Coser, Heaton. Subs:- Maycock, Ward, Harvey, Morecombe, Matthews

Tynedale: Smith, Mock, Harrison, Walker, Dixon, Taylor, Outson, Southern, Blamire, Wilot, Snowdon, Dunn, Davies, Johnson, Powell. Subs:- Lowdon, Fulton, MacGowan, Northwood, Moloney

Referee: Mick Harris (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack