Saturday 17 September 2022
In truth, Fylde, one of the highly fancied sides in National League 2 North, were simply too good for Harrogate, scoring 12 tries to 1.
Fylde ran the ball at every opportunity, spinning the ball left and right, resulting in 2 tries for Tom Grimes in the first 10 minutes, one of which was converted by Greg Smith. Further converted tries came from Matt Sturgess and Toby Harrison.
Harrogate finished the first half on the attack when Sam Fox drilled a penalty down the line. However, Fylde defended the ensuing lineout and the half ended with them 26 – 0 ahead.
There was no let up after the resumption. Further tries came from Sam Stott (2), Jordan Dorrington and Adam Lanigan. Two conversions from Smith made the score 50 – 0.
Harrogate then produced their best moment of the game. Concerted forward pressure from the forwards, following a penalty conceded by Fylde, saw Harrogate nearly over the line. However, the ball was then spun left and Will Yates pirouetted over the line in the left hand corner for Harrogate’s only score.
Undeterred, Fylde scored tries through Ben Gregory, David Fairbrother, Harrison and Grimes, who completed his hat-trick with the final play of the game. Smith converted 2, making the final score 74 – 5 to Fylde: a “hard day at the office” for the Harrogate team, its management and their faithful supporters.
Teams
Fylde: Dorrington, Lanigan, Wilkinson, Stott, Grimes, Smith, Sturgess, Higgins, Gregory (capt), Ashcroft, Corrie, Garrod, Harrison, Higginson, Fairbrother, Altham, Lewis, Parkinson, Lynch, Forster.
Harrogate RUFC: Macnab, Pearson, Kennell, Mercer, Yates, Fox, Raubitschek, Derbyshire, Maycock, Baxter, Fenn, Brady (capt), Jones, Hill, Spencer-Jones. Subs: Elsayed, Jackson, Booth, Olley, Scrase.
Referee: Dave Charlton (RFU)
Tim Thorley
Harrogate RUFC
18 September 2022
