Broadstreet vs Harrogate

However, Andy Boyde, Nico Nyemba and Ben Reaveley formed a heroic “gang of three” and played the whole game. Broadstreet made front row substitutions throughout but the Harrogate trio were in complete control in the final quarter and laid a solid foundation which was crucial to the win.

After an even opening when each side tested the other’s defences, Harrogate went offside and Ben Cooper’s penalty put Broadstreet ahead. Minutes later, Harrogate won excellent turnover ball and a crisp passing movement ended with James Morland cruising through the defence for a try converted by Joe Rowntree.

At this stage, Broadstreet’s scrummaging was winning them a succession of penalties though most referees would have spotted that they were driving in illegally on the loose head. An attacking Broadstreet chip ahead seemed to have given them a scoring opportunity but Callum Irvine won the chase to touch down. Almost immediately, there was a reverse situation but Harrogate’s kick through was picked up by Noel Minikin who crashed over to score.

Irvine’s conversion gave Harrogate a seemingly comfortable 3-14 lead but Broadstreet responded strongly and mounted a series of attacks from which No8, Jack Gibbons scored a converted try. The home pressure continued and they set up an attacking line out when Harrogate were penalised in defence. A driving maul resulted in a converted try for Jamie Harrop to put Broadstreet 17-14 ahead at the interval.

It soon got worse for Harrogate after the restart. Continued pressure resulted in Broadstreet being penalised but Harrogate spurned a straightforward equalising kick and opted for a running attack. The powerful Broadstreet winger, Jeff Gregson intercepted a pass near his own line and outstripped Harrogate’s defence for an outstanding length of the field try. Cooper’s conversion turned Harrogate’s equalising opportunity into a 24-14 home lead.

Harrogate’s superior fitness saw them increasingly dominate the rest of the match with replacement scrum-half, Phil Wickham raising the tempo. Broadstreet’s defence just about held out until, with five minutes remaining, Harrogate’s forwards won another crucial turnover. Sam Bottomley’s strength and pace took him over to score with Rowntree’s conversion making it 24-21.

Jake Brady’s inspirational captaincy spurred Harrogate on and, in the last move of the match, Irvine squeezed through desperate defence to score in the corner. There was an agonising delay while the Referee consulted his Assistant before awarding the try. Rowntree’s conversion put the icing on the cake.

This was the second successive week when Harrogate have won in the last move of the match. This speaks volumes for their team spirit and Bottomley’s after match comment summed up the situation---“what are we going to be like when we start to play well?”

Broadstreet: Tilsley, Gregson, Carney, Otutaha, Elvers, Cooper, Murray, Dugard, Pearl, Dodd, Crofts, Solomon, Martin, Harrop Gibbons. Subs (all Used) Worthington, Dawes, Wood, Webber, Hope

Harrogate: Frost, Bottomley, L Minikin, Morland, Rowntree, Irvine, Matthews, Boyde, Nyemba, Reaveley, Brady, Harvey, Wilson, Smith, Heaton. Subs (all used) Lowes, Enslin, N Minikin, Edwards, Wickham.

Referee: Simon Walker (SW)

Match report by Bill Barrack