Harrogate 27 v Sandal 25

Harrogate 27 Sandal 25
Saturday 30 September 2023

In wet conditions, and despite being outscored in the try department, resolute Harrogate found a way to win and remain at the top of the table.

Harrogate opened the scoring in the 6th minute when Rory Macnab slotted a penalty to put the home side 3 points to the good. Sandal attacked but was kept out until the 15th minute when, with Gate having cleared to halfway, Sandal recovered the ball and ran through for Luke Adams to go over. Unfortunately for them, Tom Hodson was unable to convert.

Harrogate re-took the lead in the 19th minute from another Macnab penalty, but a mistake from the kick off put them under further pressure as Sandal re-gathered the ball. Their forward power, and with several penalties being conceded, saw Harrogate’s line under threat. However, strong defence and eventual concession of a Sandal penalty allowed Gate to clear.

Despite the difficult conditions, both sides were looking to run the ball, and Gate’s defence was keeping Sandal at bay. However, their attacking intent was rewarded in the 35th minute when Hodson kicked a penalty to put them in front.

Harrogate responded with a further Macnab penalty in the 37th minute that went in off the far post. With no further scores, Harrogate therefore had a slender one point lead at half-time.

Sandal got their second try within 2 minutes of the re-start. Harrogate had a kick charged down, and Sandal took full advantage as Dominic Fawcett went over in the right-hand corner for an unconverted try.

Harrogate responded 5 minutes later. Winning a scrum penalty, they chose to kick to the corner. From the resultant lineout, Gate’s forwards drove over for Will Hill to score, though the conversion was missed.

In heavy rain, Gate started to exert some forward control, and extended the lead with a Macnab penalty in the 56th minute.

Sandal responded and took the lead in the 59th minute when Austen Thompson went over, although the conversion was again unsuccessful.

In the 63rd minute, Harrogate re-took the lead when Sam Fox cross-kicked for Orisi Katalau to catch cleanly. He broke through the defence and crossed for a converted try.

Almost immediately, the lead changed again as Sandal scored their fourth try through former Harrogate forward, Dec Thompson. With Hodson converting, Sandal held a one point lead with just under quarter of an hour to go.

Harrogate did cross the try line, with 5 minutes left, but the ball was held up, and Sandal cleared from the ensuing goal-line drop-out.

However, Sandal’s hearts were broken when Macnab kicked his 5th penalty of the match in the 78th minute, and Harrogate was able to see out the final minutes.

Congratulations should however go to both sides in producing an entertaining game in difficult testing conditions.

This weekend is a reserve weekend, and Harrogate has no match, returning to action on Saturday 14 October with a visit to Scunthorpe.

Teams

Harrogate: Macnab, Katalau, Miller, Kaisia, Haydock, Steene, Olley, Percival, Maycock, Vaughan, Pritchard, Brady (c), Coser, Dodds, Hill. Replacements: Peace, Phipps, Fox.

Sandal: Hodson, Handley, Shamchiyev, Grainger, Fawcett, Adams, Allen, Bailey, Pitchford, Holland, Carr, Thompson A, Stewart (c), Henshall, Thompson D. Replacements: Nyambega, Milner, Hanson.

Referee: Kristian Garland (Yorkshire Society)

Tim Thorley
Harrogate RUFC
2 October 2023