Their final try denied Harrogate what would have been a well deserved bonus point as the teams were within 2 points of each other for most of the game.

The match started with both sides testing each other’s defence but an early Harrogate offside offence let Steve Collins kick Park into a 3 point lead. A great Oli Denton break from defence was then well supported by Callum Irvine, Sedgley came in from the side at a ruck and Joe Rowntree’s penalty kick equalised the scores. The Harrogate attacks continued and again it was the Denton Irvine combination which pressurised Park to go offside. Rowntree’s penalty kick put Harrogate ahead.

Strong Sedgley drives followed with hooker, Jonny Mathews well to the fore. Harrogate were adjudged to have gone offside and Collins’ kicked the equalising penalty. A powerful Jimmy Browne drive out of defence was taken on by Denton but the ball was turned over and a Park length of the field counter attack ended with a Mathews try. The Harrogate pack then went into overdrive in the loose with driving play from Browne, Nathan Smith Tom Harvey and Jake Brady. A Park scrum offence gave Harrogate a free kick which was quickly taken. Sedgley were then penalised for “not 10” and Rowntree kicked another penalty.

Park’s second try game came just before the interval when they stole Harrogate line-out ball and Matt Lamprey powered over to score. Spurred by this, Harrogate’s forwards then set up another drive from defence and brilliant running from the backs took the ball to the visitors’ goal line. Rob Adair was in support to outstrip the defence for a converted try which made the half time score 16-18.

Sedgley went further ahead shortly after the restart when they turned over ball from a Harrogate attack. Possession was slipped to winger Jamie Harrison who ran strongly for a brilliant 40 metres individual try. Harrogate’s backs then set up another counter attack from deep through Irvine, Sam Bottomley and Steve Parsons. The move broke down in the Sedgley 22 but Adair poached possession and Bottomley darted through to score.

Adair then seemed certain to score after a great run punched holes in Park’s defence but the ball was turned over just short of the line and an Andrew Riley try finished an excellent Sedgley counter attack. Two Park foul play yellow cards followed in quick succession for Matthew Riley and George Hymas. Browne drove strongly from an attacking Harrogate line-out and made space for Aarin Yorke to beat the cover and score.

Yorke again broke strongly from defence and was surprisingly penalised for holding immediately after the breakdown. Sedgley attacks followed the penalty and Justin Bishop’s converted try put them 9 points ahead at the final whistle.

Harrogate: Denton, Irvine, Parsons, Bottomley, Davies (Dench 55), Rowntree, Wickham (D Matthews 40), Metcalfe, Yorke, Browne, Brady, Harvey, Adair, Smith, Wilson (Spencer 55)

Sedgley Park: Wainwright, A Riley, M Riley, Parrott (Largan 46), Harrison, Collins, McShane (Wilkinson 68), Ashcroft, J Mathews, Hymas, Crous, McGowan, Bishop, Emerson, Lamprey

Referee: Will Halford (RFU).

Match report by Bill Barrack
Match Photos by Richard Bown, David Aspinall and Tim Clough