Sandal vs Harrogate

Ten tries were scored (five each) but Harrogate used the slope better and their superior goal kicking won them the match.

After an even start, Greg Wood, Sandal’s classy stand-off cut through the Harrogate cover for a fine individual try which he converted. Harrogate’s response was immediate. Full back, Oli Rosillo launched a counter attack from deep and the ball sped through several pairs of hands till Keane Naylor delivered the coup de grace. Luke White’s conversion made it 7-7.

A Sandal scrum offence gave Harrogate a penalty but their backs attack was intercepted and Sandal’s counter was stopped by an illegal tackle. This led to an attacking Sandal line-out and a driving maul from which Luke Norbury drove over to score a converted try. Again, Harrogate counter attacked and a strong Harry Barnard run was ended by a high tackle. Further Harrogate pressure followed the penalty forcing the home defence to go offside and White’s penalty made it 14-10.

A Wood interception ended a Harrogate attack and he chipped through cleverly but Sandal offended near the goal line to give Harrogate a relieving penalty. Good scrum ball then led to Harrogate taking a narrow lead. Tim Heaton drove strongly from the base and the ball was quickly spread along the line. Naylor made a decisive break and passed to left winger Matt Lansdall whose pace and balance beat the cover for an excellent maiden try. Sandal regained their 21-15 first half lead from a well worked line-out move which led to a converted try from Dec Thompson.

Harrogate now had the slope advantage and an early second half penalty made it 21-18 after a Sandal high tackle. Home full back, Jack Townend made a telling 30 metres break from defence but Harrogate’s tackle forced him to knock on. Further Sandal attacks were well contained by Harrogate’s defence. This included a sharply taken quick penalty from former Harrogate scrum-half, Will Morecombe which ended with a knock-on after a crunching tackle.

Harrogate then took the lead when Charley Purkiss-McEndoo scored a converted try from a strong driving maul. A Sandal attacking chip was gathered at pace by Rosillo who counter attacked to set up a further Harrogate attack. Sandal’s defence went offside, an attacking line-out followed the penalty and this time it was Andy Boyde who scored a bonus point winning try from the driving maul.

The conversion made it 21-32 but Sandal soon came back into contention from another fine Wood individual try to gain them a bonus point. Harrogate’s fifth try soon followed when Sam Brady burst through the home defence to put Euean Miller into space and the conversion made it 26-39. Sandal continued to compete and, towards the end, Tom Fountain burst through to score in the left corner. The conversion, which would have given Sandal a well deserved second bonus point, narrowly missed.

Sandal: Townend, Bainbridge, Nolson, E Thompson, Frewin, Wood, Morecombe, Edler, Heron, Baxter,
D Thompson, Oxley, Stewart, Coad, Carolan. Subs:- Wicks, Norbury, Fountain.

Harrogate: Rosillo, Barnard, Lawson, Naylor, Landsall, White, Matthews, Purkiss-McEndoo, Maycock, Ward, Boyde, Brady, Harvey, J Coser, Heaton. Subs:- Yorke, Harris, Miller.

Referee: Matt Riley (Northern)

Match report by Bill Barrack