Caldy vs Harrogate

This time, Harrogate’s well organized defence was the crucial difference along with their superior ball retention.

After an even start, Caldy’s star winger, Nick Royle broke clear on the left and it took a desperate Callum Irvine tackle into touch to stop him just short of the line. Caldy set up a driving maul from the line-out but Harrogate won turnover ball and Sam Bottomley’s searing break took play into home territory. When Caldy went offside, Joe Rowntree’s penalty kick opened the scoring.

Harrogate’s set piece ball was secure throughout the match and Jonny Coser won a stream of good line-out ball from Aarin Yorke’s pinpoint throwing in. Powerful drives from Jake Brady, Andy Boyde and Nathan Smith kept the home defence honest to create space for enterprising back play. The next score emanated from a Harrogate line-out “steal” from which Lewis Minikin cut through the midfield. Caldy again went offside and another Rowntree penalty extended the lead.

The pressure continued and, when Danny Matthews was impeded while taking a quick penalty, Caldy’s Tom Sanders was dispatched to the sin bin. From this, Rowntree duly kicked another 3 points. The Harrogate pack continued to press, Caldy went offside and Matthews’s quick penalty drew the defence to put Irvine over in the corner. This was followed by a clever Caldy chip kick from defence and Royle gathered the ball at speed to race clear for an excellent try converted by Gavin Roberts to make it 7-14 at the break.

From the home restart, Willem Enslin drove strongly into their defence to create good ball. Irvine burst clear but was held up just short of the line. The Harrogate pressure mounted and Caldy’s John Broxson was sin binned for coming in from the side. Shortly after his return, Harrogate’s Boyde committed an almost identical offence and got his 10 minute marching orders. This gave the home pack a temporary advantage and No8, Craig Smithson ran strongly to score from an attacking scrum.

An excellent Tom Harvey charge down seemed to have created another Harrogate opportunity but the bounce favoured the defence and Royle cleared. However, the Harrogate attacks moved up a gear and Smithson was sin binned when the desperate Caldy defence went offside too often. Even more Harrogate pressure followed with Harvey and Yorke punching holes in the home defence. Quick ball was channelled to Luke Edwards whose electric sidestep took him clear to score out wide.

Caldy never gave up and mounted a final attack after stealing a Harrogate attacking line-out. Play swept downfield but the Caldy attack was ended by a crunching Fraser Kirkley tackle. This was very fitting because it had been his first Harrogate start and, along with Lewis Boyce, had been at the heart of their powerful scrum.

Caldy: Soutar, Eaves, Roberts, Banks, Royle Kohler, Broxson, Campbell, Dowridge, Lowes, McGowan, Sanders, Weir, Davidson, Smithson. Subs (all used):- Smale, C Jones, Williams, Cross, B Jones

Harrogate: Rowntree, Bottomley, L Minikin, Morland, Edwards, Irvine, Matthews, Boyce, Yorke, Kirkley, Brady, Boyde, Smith, Wood, Coser. Subs used:- Nyemba, Enslin, Hepworth, Harvey

Referee: Andy Taylorson (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack