Mudtown

In what was always going to be a tight encounter at Moortown a good start was going to prove essential - this is not usually one of our strengths but the lads started with a purpose and intensity that hasn't always been the case this season.

Moortown couldn't compete with the combination of power and pace in the Harrogate ranks in that opening quarter with six tries scored and none conceded. Despite the mud, which caused handling problems for both sides throughout tries were scored from wide positions after sucking in defenders by some good old fashioned forward play of drive and clear. This first quarter blitz was enough to take the honours back to Rudding Lane with a much closer contest for the remainder of the morning with the mud proving a factor throughout.

Two unanswered tries from Moortown in the second quarter threatened a home side revival but a combination of dogged defending and good first up tackling ensured that this never happened. Instead Harrogate edged the third and honours were shared in the final period.

Rugby won through in the end although at points it looked like mud might prevail!