Preston Grasshoppers 31 Harrogate 31

After an enthralling game where the lead kept changing, Kyle Dench’s injury time try brought Harrogate to within 2 points of Preston. Mike Aspinall kicked his 3rd touchline conversion to even the scores.

The game started with a period of prolonged open play where each side tested the other’s defence. Richard Beck & Neil Spence showed their ball winning skills while centres, Dench and Sam Bottomley made threatening breaks.

Harrogate eventually strayed offside and Mark Edward’s penalty gave Hoppers a 3 point lead. Preston sustained the pressure and their pocket battleship scrum half, Darren Wilson burst through for a converted try.

A 20 metre Harrogate driving maul took them over the Preston goal line but and a try seemed inevitable. Although the defence held the ball up over the line, Harrogate scored from winning the subsequent 5 metre scrum. Winger Jamie Broadley’s run broke the Hopper’s midfield defence and his try resulted in Aspinall’s 1st touchline conversion.

More Preston attacks followed but the Harrogate defence held firm and the forwards won 3 crucial turnover balls. A 4th turnover followed but the ball went loose and Hoppers’ No8, Dominic Moon picked up and scored. With the half time whistle looming, Harrogate counter-attacked again and full back, Ed Smithies finished a fine move by scoring his 99th try for the Club. Aspinall’s 2nd touchline conversion followed to make the half time score 15-14.

Like the first, the second half started evenly till a Harrogate back move was initiated by flanker, Beck. Dench continued the break and passed to Bottomley who danced through the defence for a brilliant 30 metre try.

A game turning incident followed. Harrogate’s hooker Aarin Yorke and replacement centre Danny McGee clashed heads and sustained serious facial injuries which ended their games. To add insult to injury, Harrogate were penalised in the incident and Edwards kicked another 3 home points. Dan Metcalfe moved over to hook and played well. However, Yorke’s throwing in skills were badly missed and Preston gained more line-out possession for the rest of the match. Hoppers’ centre Tom Hughes was the 1st beneficiary of this and scored to restore the home lead.

Yet again, Harrogate countered and, when Preston went offside, a quickly taken penalty released Bottomley who scored his 2nd try. The tide turned Preston’s way again when Harrogate went offside to give Edwards 3 more penalty points.

Harrogate No8, Ryan Peacey had been playing exceptionally well and his opposite number, Moon tried to discourage him with a gratuitous punch. He was deservedly red carded for this but, in spite of being down to 14 men, Preston were the next to score. Hughes’s 2nd try, in injury time, seemed to have sealed victory for them.

However, Harrogate finished the match with wave after wave of scintillating attacks. Bottomley and Broadley both nearly scored but it was Dench’s touchline try, converted by Aspinall, which ended the game with honours even.

Preston
McKenna, Taylor, Hughes, Thomas, Williams, Edwards, Wilson, Hanson, Sands, Peterson, Morton, Rigbye, Pearson, Cunningham, Moon

Harrogate
Smithies, Aspinall, Bottomley, Dench, Broadley, Davies (McGee 40 then Ellis 45), Robinson, Metcalfe, Yorke (Browne 45), McMillan, Lewis, Burns, Beck, Spence, Peacey.

Referee
Dave Edmunds (RFU).