Sam Bottomley opened the scoring after 9 minutes by gathering a Mike Aspinall tactical kick to touch down in the corner. Strong Harrogate scrummaging caused problems for Hull and the home side also won a stream of line-out possession through the jumping skills of James Spencer, Richard Beck & Max Lewis.
A wayward Harrogate midfield pass gave the ball away to Hull and, although they regained possession, they were penalised for holding on. Guy Martinson’s penalty opened Hull’s account. The visitors again offended at a scrum and Aspinall’s penalty restored the 5 point difference. However, only 2 points separated the sides after 20 minutes. A Harrogate late tackle gave James Cameron Hull’s second penalty score but this was the signal for the Harrogate floodgates to open.

Will Robinson instigated a Harrogate three-quarter movement and Bottomley burst through the midfield to score his second try. Aspinall was also involved in the next one with a well placed kick which set up another attack. The attempted Hull clearance was charged down and prop, Jonathon McMillan scored his 1st try for the Club. Harrogate then secured the 4 try bonus point when Ryan Peacey touched at the back of a driving maul just before the interval.

Hull tried to regain the initiative at the restart but Harrogate stole yet another of their line-outs to mount an attack from which Aspinall dropped a goal. Hooker, Aarin Yorke showed astonishing pace to almost score a touchline try but it was Peacey who got the next one from another driving maul.
An over ambitious Harrogate loose pass was then intercepted by Hull’s Alex Piercey who had an unopposed run to the goal line. Another Aspinall penalty followed for Harrogate and Hull’s persistent offside offending resulted in their hooker, Scott Plevey (a former Harrogate player), being sent to the sin bin. This gave Harrogate the opportunity to further dominate the driving mauls and Peacey scored his 3rd try.

A Peacey half break then created space for Yorke who outstripped the visiting backs’ defence for a fine try. Further Harrogate pressure followed and the game’s last score came from Bottomley. He gathered an Aspinall cross kick to gain his hat trick of tries and make the final score 57-11

Harrogate: Smithies, McGee (Harris 70), Bottomley, Dench (Ellis 70), Broadley, Aspinall, Robinson, Metcalfe (Browne 66), Yorke, McMillan (Davies 55), Spencer, Burns, Beck (Heaton 40), Peacey, Lewis

Hull: Gambey, Vakona, Martinson, Kitching, White, Cameron, Kendra, Jones, Plevey, Gravil, Edwards, Campbell, Wade, Devonshire, Pearce.

Referee: Dave Edmunds (RFU)

Harrogate's 57-11 win at home to Hull last Saturday included 2 hattricks of tries.Both Ryan Peacey and Sam Bottomley scored 3.

The hattricks were the first of the season and the first since the only hattrick of last season scored by Ryan Peacey,again,at home to Fylde on Saturday 2nd May 2005.

Harrogate have twice,since the turn of the century,scored 2 hattricks in a game.Both were in season 2000-2001 and both against West Hartlepool in National 2.On 13th January 2001 both Peter Taylor and Matt Duncombe scored hattricks in the away game which Harrogate won 70-14 and earlier that season on 4th November 2000 Richard "Dick" Wade and Ed smithies scored 3 each in a home game which Harrogate won 60-0.

The 57 points which Harrogate scored against Hull was the first time Gate have passed 50 points since beating Rosslyn Park at home 51-36 on 12th March 2005,a game in which Steve Parsons scored a hattrick of tries.

57 points is the highest points tally for Harrogate since beating Bracknell at home on 27th November 2004 when the score was 79-5 a game in which James Tapster scored 3 tries.
Sizzy