Chester also won important turnovers at crucial times. The final move of the match resulted in a Harrogate penalty but the pressure kick failed and Chester held on for a narrow win.

Early Harrogate pressure led to a Chester offside offence and Joe Rowntree’s kick put the home side 3 points ahead. The next half hour saw still more Harrogate pressure which was built on quality ball won by hard working forwards.

The Brady brothers’ second row combined well with Tim Heaton and Nathan Smith to keep Harrogate on the front foot and Chris Wilson was a good source of line-out ball.

Aarin Yorke’s outstanding support play opened gaps in Chester’s defence and creative half back play from Phil Wickham and Callum Irvine sparked off continual attacks.

The Chester turnovers gave danger signals and, on the half hour, Gavin Wood robbed Harrogate to create an opportunity from which Peter Rees sped through to score and Luke Gray’s conversion made it 3-7.

A great Jake Brady turnover led to a Harrogate attacking drive but he was then yellow carded for illegal use of the knee and Chester survived.

On the stroke of half time, Harrogate were penalised for “hands in” and Gray’s kick extended the Chester lead.

The same pattern continued after the interval but a quickly taken Chester line-out created space for Sean Green who split Harrogate’s defence with a fine individual converted try.

A more even period of play followed and, when Chester lock, Ross White was yellow carded Harrogate seemed to have a real recovery opportunity.

Substitute flanker Rob Adair burst through the midfield and, although a knock on ended the move, Harrogate continued to attack.

Steve Parsons, Harry Parrish, Lewis Minikin and Irvine were constant threats and Heaton supported a strong Parsons for a try on the right converted by Irvine.

The Harrogate pressure continued and Sam Brady eventually crashed over to score after a series of forward drives.

The conversion narrowly missed and Harrogate’s hopes seemed to have died when Sam Brady was red carded for alleged stamping.

However, Harrogate continued to take the game to Chester and won the dying seconds penalty which was narrowly missed.

Harrogate: L Minikin, Parsons, Dench, Rowntree (Edwards 58), Parrish, Irvine, Wickham (Matthews 52), Metcalfe, Yorke, Browne (Reaveley 62), J Brady, S Brady, Wilson (Adair 52), Smith (N Minikin 62), Heaton

Chester: Green, Rees, Foden, Nelson, Evans (Jeffers 65), Gray, Mitchell, Woods, Gill, Whitelock-Wainwright (Fitzgerald 65), Mackenzie, White, Bown, Moore, Ford.

Referee: Will Halford (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack
Photos by Phil Stewart and Richard Bown