They then proceeded to misfire in almost every department and, at the same time, Lymm upped their game despite having a player red carded before the interval. Lymm’s well deserved second half try proved to be the final score of the match which finished with Harrogate desperately defending their slender lead.

From an early Harrogate drive, Lymm stand-off, Tom Bray was penalised and yellow carded for illegally preventing release and Harrogate set up a driving maul from which Steve Maycock scored. Lymm’s Cormac Nolan reduced the deficit with a penalty goal but Harrogate soon attacked again from a Danny Matthews break at a line-out. Lymm went offside, Harrogate set up another driving maul from the penalty and 2nd row Sam Brady crashed over for a try converted by Sam Fox.

This made Brady Harrogate’s leading try scorer this season but that really was as good as it got for them. Looking to spin the ball when they could, Lymm mounted a series of attacks which were ended by a superb tackle from Sam Parry. Harrogate went offside in defence and Nolan’s kick made it 14-6.

A great Oli Rosillo counter attack from deep was Harrogate’s highlight for the rest of the half but it punctuated a stream of uncharacteristic mistakes including losing a succession of their own lines-out. Just before the break, a Bray tackle was adjudged to be high and his second yellow became an automatic red.

It was more of the same for virtually the rest of the match. The heroic Lymm 14 attacked at every opportunity while Harrogate squandered countless scoring opportunities. With 15 minutes remaining, Lymm’s efforts were finally rewarded with a good try. The ball was spread right from an attacking scrum for winger Joe Senior to score in the corner. Harrogate still had the bulk of the possession, continued to attack but also continued to make a stream of errors. Towards the end of the match, Harrogate set up a well controlled, 30 metres driving maul which took them to the Lymm goal line and a try seemed certain. However, they were penalised and Lymm’s clearance kick ended the match

Harrogate: Rosillo, Yates, Mason, Mercer, Parry, Fox, Matthews, Boyde, Maycock, Ward, Brady, Hannam, Dodds, Tasker, Coser. Subs:- Driscoll, Rigby, Taylor

Lymm: Redfern, Beesley, Pilkington, Kimber, Senior, Bray, Nolan, Woods, Chilvers, Mawdsley, Rasheed, Connelly, Baldwin, Lewis, Watson. Subs:- Hand, Hadland, Hickman

Referee: Tom Doig (Northern)

Match report by Bill Barrack