The visitors went through their attacking moves from the start but consistently foundered on the well organized Harrogate defence. In the 6th minute, Harrogate went offside and Steve Collins’s penalty put Sedgley ahead. Ben Reaveley was then penalised for coming in from the side to put the home defence under still more pressure. Another Harrogate offside offence led to Collins extending the lead with another penalty.

With limited possession, Harrogate looked dangerous in attack with forwards Andy Boyde, Kerry Wood and Willem Enslin providing hard won ball. Individual brilliance from Callum Irvine then split the visiting defence for an under the posts try. Joe Rowntree’s conversion put Harrogate 7-6 ahead.

A crunching Aarin Yorke tackle secured valuable home turnover ball but Park counter attacked when the move broke down. Sedgely continued to attack but it was then Sam Bottomley’s turn to win a turnover. Harrogate were penalised for going offside, Park continued to attack and Harrogate’s defence continued to contain them. A Harrogate counter attack forced Sedgley to go offside and Rowntree’s penalty extended the home lead..

Park were still attacking and a Wood high tackle saw him despatched to the sin bin. Collins’s penalty made it 10-9 and Park built on the momentum for Juan Crous to power through for a converted try to give the visitors a 10-16 half time lead.

The 7 man Harrogate pack won a great scrummage penalty and Rowntree’s penalty kick made it 13-16. The game pattern continued until substitute Mike Aspinall’s break set up a well constructed attack. Luke Edwards supported strongly and gave a scoring pass to Rowntree. The 2 point Harrogate lead was short lived as, almost immediately, a Collins kick put Park ahead after Harrogate went offside.

Harrogate’s superior fitness now started to tell and their attacks tested the visiting defence. The pressure forced Sedgley to go offside and Rowntree’s kick duly put Harrogate ahead again. Park’s final attacks were well contained and a desperate drop goal attempt went well wide.

Harrogate: Rowntree, Leadley, Bottomley, Edwards, Audsley-Beck, C Irvine, Matthews, Boyde, Yorke, Reaveley, Brady, Harvey, C Wilson, Wood, Enslin. Subs (all used) N Smith, Hepworth, N Minikin,
S Irvine, Aspinall

Sedgley Park: Wainwright, A Riley, Parrott, M Riley, Strange, Collins, McShane, Ashcroft, Berry, Black, Crous, O Parkinson, R Parkinson, Davies, Lamprey. Subs ( all used) Hymes, P Wilson, Thompson, Harrison, Wilkinson

Referee: AndyTaylorson (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack