Hull’s DOR, Gary Pearce felt that Harrogate’s greater experience was the main difference between the sides and that they had used the conditions better. Harrogate played with the strong wind behind them in the 1st half but were only 11-0 up at the interval. Hull could well have scored just before the break and this could have put a different complexion on the game.

From the start, Hull tried to run the ball out of defence but Harrogate’s well organized defence eventually forced a knock-on. A series of Harrogate drives followed the scrum and stand-off, Callum Irvine gathered his own chip through for the game’s opening try. Harrogate continued to attack but were well contained by Hull’s doughty defence and the expected floodgates didn’t open. Hull counter attacked but Harrogate won good turnover ball and, when Hull went offside, Joe Rowntree’s penalty extended the lead.

Good Harrogate scrummaging then forced Hull to concede another penalty and Rowntree’s kick made it 11-0 with 20 minutes of the half remaining. More attacks followed but Hull’s defence held firm and a powerful Ben Sullivan break took play into Harrogate’s 22. It was now Harrogate’s defence which had to hold out against sustained pressure but a half time 11-0 lead didn’t seem enough.

Harrogate made a mess of Hull’s restart kick but managed to regain possession and set up well controlled pick and drives from defence. Willem Enslin’s bullocking runs punched holes in Hull’s midfield with still more power play from Nathan Smith and Jake Brady. Scrum half, Danny Matthews was his usual industrious self and showed good judgement in picking the moments to release the ball to the talented backs Irvine, Luke Edwards, Kyle Dench and Sam Bottomley. Ten minutes into the half, Harrogate went offside and Greg Lound’s penalty opened Hull’s account. However, another Enslin midfield burst set up a Harrogate counter which led to a succession of driving mauls on the Hull line and Enslin himself drove over to score.

Edwards then gathered a clearance from deep to dance through the defence and pass to substitute winger, Harry Parrish. It was Parrish’s first touch of the ball but he outstripped the cover for an excellent 30 metres try. Harrogate’s bonus point try came from a strike against the head at a Hull defensive scrum. Enslin made the initial burst to set up a well controlled driving maul and Kerry Wood squirmed over to score. Irvine’s conversion just managed to scrape over in the teeth of the howling gale.

Hull’s heads never went down and they thoroughly deserved their converted try on the stroke of the final whistle. Their experienced prop, Paul Sewell crashed over from a quickly taken penalty.

Mike Aspinal, Harrogate’s DOR was well satisfied with the result though he didn’t think that Harrogate had played as well as they should. Their defensive patterns were outstandingly good in the second half, making it very difficult for Hull to take profit from the wind advantage.

Harrogate: Rowntree, Bottomley, Edwards, Dench, Audsley-Beck, Irvine, Matthews, Boyce, Nyemba, Reaveley, Brady, Dewsnip, Coser, Smith, Enslin. Subs (all used) Yorke, Kirkley, Boyde, Wood, Parrish.

Hull: Tanumi, Kirk, Heard, Holland, Clark, Lound, Maplesden, Tamanis, Jobling, Sewell, Alderson, Devonshire, Foden, Sullivan, Cook. Subs (all used) Price, McMillan, Stafford, Piercy, Hardisty.

Referee: Chris Bennett (RFU)

Match report by Bill Barrack
Photos by David Aspinall and Richard Bown