Several injured absentees were badly missed, most of whom are expected to be fit next week. However, West Hartlepool competed strongly throughout the game and thoroughly deserved the bonus point earned with an injury time converted try.

An early West off side offence gave Joe Rowntree his first penalty points of the match but the visitors came back strongly from the restart. Stand-off, Stu Waites carved a big hole in Harrogate’s defence and prop, Adam Coates supported strongly to score and put West ahead.

Mike Aspinall then caught the visitors napping with a quick tap and run from a well taken mark. The ball was recycled back to him and he made another big break to force West to go offside and concede a penalty. Rowntree’s kick restored the home lead.

Winger, Noel Minikin’s elusive running caused continual problems for West and Harrogate’s first try came from his scintillating run out of defence. Opposite winger, James Audsley-Beck continued the move to score.

A succession of forward drives led to Coates scoring his 2nd try for West. Harrogate camped on the visitors’ line for the remainder of the half but the defence held firm and they had to be satisfied with a one point half-time lead.

The 2nd half started with an even period of play though the sharper passing of Harrogate’s replacement scrum half, Phil Wickham, increased their attacking potential. Pressure on theWest line ended with the ball being spun left for Audsley-Beck’s second try. Unfortunately, his game ended shortly afterwards when he was stretchered off with a suspected broken ankle.

A West scrum offence was penalised and Rowntree’s kick made it 19-10. Steve Maycock, Harrogate’s hooker, was then sin binned for being persistently offside but, inspite of his absence, another Minikin break created the next home try, scored by Aspinall.

Maycock returned to the field and, almost immediately, it was West who were reduced to 14 men when Coates was binned. However, this didn’t stop them from pressurising the Harrogate line and they earned their bonus point when Andrew Davies drove over to score from an attacking line-out.

Harrogate: Almond, Minikin, Dench, Bottomley, Audsley-Beck, Aspinall, Rowntree, Metcalfe, Maycock, Innes, Harvey, Brady, Wilson, Heaton, Lewis, Wickham, Smith, Musetti

West Hartlepool: Heckles, Edwards, A Cheslin, Watson, C Cheslin, Waites, Foreman, Pinchen, Rollins, Coates, Hogan, Davies, D Boatman, J Boatman, Grazier, Dixon, Myers, Armstrong

Referee: Claire Hodnett (Midlands Division)

Match report bu Bill Barrack
Photos by David Aspinall and Richard Bown