Harrogate vs Alnwick

An early big Harrogate scrum led to Alnwick conceding a penalty and a series of home attacks from the attacking line-out. Mounting Harrogate pressure followed from a constant supply of good ball. The back row triumvirate of Jonny Coser, Martin Dodds and evergreen Tim Heaton was at the heart of all this with centres, Sam Fox and Mason Knowles making telling breaks. The continuous pressure had to tell and Doc Doherty came into the line from full back to take a perfectly weighted inside pass and score a try converted by Fox.

Alnwick were still very much in the game at this stage and Harrogate’s defence was fully tested. Full back, Peter Moralee fielded a kick and counter attacked from deep. Winger Joe Weddle was in support and outpaced the defence for an excellent try converted by Callum Burn. This equalising score turned out to be as good as it got for Alnwick. They were soon penalised for a high tackle from which Harrogate set up an attacking line-out, a driving maul and Heaton controlled the ball well to score.

A powerful midfield burst from 2nd Row, Brandon Hannam set up Harrogate’s next converted try. Another driving maul was just too much for the Alnwick defence and Sam Brady powered over to score and make it 19-7. Spirited Alnwick attacks followed for the remaining 5 minutes of the half but the home defence held firm. A great Dodds smother tackle ended one move and another midfield one from Knowles ended an attack and the half.

From the restart, the ball was quickly spread left and Knowles made a searing 30 metres break to score a wonderful individual try. An attempted Alnwick counter ended when their pack was driven off their own ball and more Harrogate attacks followed. A high tackle on Heaton went unpunished and Harrogate were subsequently penalised for holding but the home dominance continued. Young winger, Harry Yates came off the bench to make an instant impression with his electric attacking pace but the next score came from an Alnwick penalty and this was soon followed by another to make it 26-13.

Another period of sustained Harrogate pressure followed but a knock-on ended what seemed to be a certain try. However, something had to give and Tom Driscoll, with great support from Andy Boyde and Dom Musetti, scored. Fox’s touchline conversion made it 33-13. A third Alnwick penalty kick made the score 33-16 and it was a measure of Harrogate’s defence that Alnwick kept going for kicks at goal in these situations.

The game’s final try involved great interlinking play from forwards and backs. Dodds stole an Alnwick line-out and the pack supported him to make it good ball. Lightning service from half backs, Phil Wickham and Danny Matthews set up another backs attack. Heaton was in support to burst through the defence, Fox carried the move on and quick ball was spread to Yates whose pace took him clear for another excellent try and another Fox touchline conversion.

Harrogate: Doherty, Edwards, Knowles, Fox, Rosillo, Matthews, Wickham, Boyde, Driscoll, Musetti, Brady, Hannam, Coser, Dodds, Heaton. Subs:- Harrison, Rigby, Yates.

Alnwick: Moralee, Weddle, Mallaburn, Hutchinson, Woods, C Burn, Todd, Smith, H Burn, Clayton, Young, Gray, Courty, Pettifer, Sinclair. Subs:- Oliver, Ellis, Moir

Referee: Adam Robson (North)

Match report by Bill Barrack