Long periods of attacking Harrogate back play were all too often ended with handling mistakes and the Lions managed to keep their noses in front for almost all the game.

The first score came when Harrogate went offside at a Leicester driving maul and Jon Bowden kicked the penalty. Shortly afterwards, Harrogate’s workhorse 2nd Row, Tom Harvey had to leave the field with an injury and the Lions set up another drive against the weakened home pack. No8, Jack Gibbons powered through to score and put them 0-8 ahead.

A Steve Parsons run set up an attacking position for Harrogate and it was then Leicester who went offside at a Harrogate drive. Joe Rowntree’s penalty put Harrogate’s first points on the board and this sparked off a series of attacking backs moves. Oli Denton broke from deep and was well supported by Parsons whose well timed pass gave Sam Bottomley a converted try.

The Lions went back ahead when they drove Harrogate off their own scrummage ball and set up another strong drive. Flanker, Tom Morris picked and scored. Harrogate continued to attack from all positions but the well organized Leicester defence held firm. On the stroke of half time, Lions prop Ben Buxton was yellow carded for not rolling away after a tackle.

From an attacking line-out, the 7 man Leicester pack drove at the Harrogate line after the resumption. The ball was spun left for winger Luke Veebel to cross over and cut inside to simplify the conversion. Waves of Harrogate attacks followed and, when the Lions went offside, a quickly taken penalty was passed to Parsons whose strength took him through 2 tackles to score. Still more attacks followed but they crucially lost possession and Leicester quickly recycled the ball to Veebel who scored his second try.

Frantic Harrogate attacking play followed and Leicester’s Buxton again halted a move illegally. His second yellow card became a red one and Harrogate launched still more attacks. Flanker Rob Adair featured strongly in these moves and Denton was in support for a last minute try which earned Harrogate a consolation bonus point.

Harrogate
Denton, N Minikin (Irvine 55), Dench, Bottomley, Parsons, Rowntree, Matthews (Wickham 55), Musetti (Reaveley 40), Yorke, Browne, J Brady, Harvey (Johnson 12 the Wilson 55), Adair, N Smith, Heaton

Leicester Lions
Boshoff, Veebel, Boden, Cross, Kane (S Smith 74), Greendale, Campbell, Buxton, Taylor, Murray, Cheney (Cave 76), Tuckey, Morris, Murdoch, Gibbons (Badham 62)

Referee
Michael Harris (RFU).