HARROGATE U-15’s v MALTON & NORTON U-15’s

After observing a minute’s silence before the starting whistle on Remembrance Sunday, a much depleted Harrogate U-15 squad ground out a win over a much improved Malton & Norton side at Claro Road .

Unusually, it was the visitors (fielding 5 East Yorkshire players) who opened the scoring after 15 minutes of evenly contested play culminating in M&N’s Adam Durrant crossing the whitewash.

M&N’s powerful forwards won much of the ball and retained possession but Harrogate always had the edge when they moved the ball out to their backs. One such flowing move ended with ‘Gate’s Elliot Lewis scoring from the wing to level.

‘Gate retained their composure to see Skipper max Simmons score from a superb individual solo run before Harry Parrish (playing at Centre instead of wing) dodged and darted through the opposition for a 50 yard dash to offload to Fin Gray who, in turn, offloaded from the tackle for Rory Stanyard to score in his first Harrogate game after returning from a 6 week injury and close the first half at 15 – 5.

M&N’s forwards dominated possession for much of the second half but ‘Gate’s defensive work was superb and saved at least two try scoring plays before Gate recycled the ball through several phases to see Flanker, Ralph Hipps, score and Max Simmons convert.

Tomas Lowry earned a well worked consolation try for the visitors to end the game.

Man of the match – Steve Townsend