League reorganization means that this is the last time Stourbridge and Harrogate will play each other. For the second time in a fortnight, Harrogate conceded over 70 points in an away game Stourbridge’s superiority on the day was undeniable and, this time, Harrogate don’t have the opportunity to give a better account of themselves in a return fixture.

Harrogate actually started promisingly with an excellent, long Sam Fox Kick-Off which led to an attacking line-out. A succession of driving mauls followed but Harrogate were eventually penalised and Stourbridge cleared. An excellent Cam Bainbridge tackle halted a Stourbridge attack but the referee had been playing advantage for a previous Harrogate offence. A home attacking line-out followed the penalty and No. 8 Ciaran Moore scored a try converted by Freddie Morgan.

Harrogate continued attempted attacks which were contained and the home pressure mounted when Will Hill was Yellow Carded for a technical offence. A huge Ben Raubitscheck clearance took play into home territory and, when Stourbridge went offside, Rory McNab’s penalty made it 7-3. However, the respite was short lived. A Stourbridge chip through led to a defensive fumble and winger Matthew Mosely seized the loose ball and sprinted clear to score a converted try to make it 21-3.

It then became largely one way traffic for the rest of the half with more tries from Moore and Morgan to make it 31-3 at the break.

A try from replacement prop Jack Lea opened Stourbridge’s second half account and Moore added three more to the two he’d scored in the first half. In between this, Will Yates, Harrogate’s young winger showed great tenacity to crash through for a try converted by McNab.

Home winger Dan Rundle scored another try before Harrogate responded with a third one. This 30 metres try was an outstanding effort from prop, Jake Percival to make it 60-17. He’d presumably benefited from sleeping prostrate on the coach floor during the trip.

Despite the avalanche of tries against them, Harrogate’s heads never went down. Their 2 tries had put them tantalisingly close to a 4 try bonus point. However it was not to be as Stourbridge’s Moseley scored two more tries both converted by Michael Heaney to make the final score 74-17

Stourbridge
Penn, Moseley, Pritchard, A Morgan, Rundle, Scott, F Morgan, Thorp, Clements, Thorne, Murphy, O’Sullivan, Mukarati, Jasper Smith, Moore. Subs:- Lea, Jess Smith, George, Ororo, Heaney

Harrogate
McNab, Bainbridge, Kennell, Cummins, Yates, Fox, Raubitschek, Percival, Maycock, Baxter, Coser, Brady, Townsend, Dodds, Hill. Subs:- Dennis Hannam, Seymour, Penistone, Tydeman

Referee
George Jones (RFU)