Two other apparently good tries had been disallowed and Mike Aspinall had contrived to drop the ball in the act of touching down so Harrogate seemed to be cruising to a comfortable victory. Wholesale substitutions then changed the shape of the game and they had to hang on desperately to hold off a spirited challenge from the young Bees team.

The day’s other big occasion was the return of former local hero, flanker Neil Spence, this time as a Harrogate player. Neil had become a father the evening before so the stage seemed to be set for great things from him. He played his role perfectly in scoring 2 tries, having another one unluckily disallowed and picking up the umpteenth yellow card of his career.

The game started with a period of prolonged Harrogate pressure and it took the Bees 15 minutes to get out of their own half. Almost immediately Harrogate went offside and Steve Brimacombe’s penalty opened the game’s scoring. Harrogate’s pressure continued and electric scrum-half, Phil Wickham pounced on a Bees fumble behind their goal line for a try.

Harrogate continued to dominate and the Bees were eventually penalised for going in at the side. The penalty resulted in an attacking line-out from which Spence wriggled over for a trademark try, converted by Aspinall. On the stroke of half time, Brimacombe kicked another penalty to keep the Bees in contention.

Harrogate continued to be in the driving seat at the start of the second half second half but desperate defence combined with some controversial refereeing decisions to hold them out. The Bees set up a good attacking possession but Aspinall intercepted and, at the end of his 50 metre break, cleverly waited for the supporting Ed Smithies to take the scoring pass. Spence then scored his second try from the back of a driving maul, Harrogate had their bonus point and, almost fatally, relaxed.

The Bees took full advantage of the reduced pressure and mounted a series of attacks. A dazzling break from full back, Rob Almond almost resulted in a try but they eventually scored from a driving maul. Brimacombe’s conversion brought them within 4 points and earned them a well deserved bonus point.

Bradford & Bingley: Almond, Gough, Dixon, P Greaves, Morton, Brimacombe, B Greaves, Raper, Graham, Wederell, Hughes, Mitchell, Grange, Cokell, Ball.

Harrogate: Smithies, McGee, Bottomley, Dench, Broadley (R Davies 56), Aspinall, Wickham, Browne (Sowery 50), Yorke, S Davies (M’Millan 60), Spencer, Brady, Peacey (Wilson 65), Spence, Lewis (Heaton 70).

Referee: Adam Friend (RFU).