North Yorkshire Cup vs Harrogate

Conditions were atrocious with persistent torrential rain leaving standing water on the pitches. The tournament started and several matches were completed before the decision was taken to abandon play.

Harrogate won both matches they played against the hosts and against Redcar.

The match against Whitby was particularly challenging and the visitors secured a very hard fought 5 - 0 victory. Matt Wood scored the only try in a game in which Whitby used their considerable size advantage to put Harrogate under sustained pressure.

Once again Harrogate were missing a number of first team regulars particularly in the backs. These absences combined with the truly terrible conditions and some basic errors led to prolonged periods of desperate defending.

There were several heroic performances notably by Steve Janney and Chris Armstrong who somehow managed to put Harrogate flesh and bone between ball and rain-sodden pitch on the only occasion that Whitby crossed the line.

In the second game Harrogate defeated Redcar by 15 - 5 with George Wilton scoring a hat-trick of tries as, once again, he led his team by example. The conditions favoured close play in the forwards and made it very difficult for the backs to show any handling or running.

Following the match against Redcar the tournament was abandoned with Harrogate yet to face Acklam, Ripon/Wensleydale and Selby, the latter team together with Harrogate having a victorious record in the games that had been completed.