In a hard fought match at Rudding Lane, Harrogate emerged victorious in their quest to avoid relegation.
Harrogate started the game on the attack, with both Will Yates and Tom Steene making breaks in midfield, before forcing an early Chester goal line dropout. Chester’s first yellow card came in the 6th minute following which Harrogate took the lead with a Tom Steene penalty. Their second came in the 11th minute and Harrogate took full advantage when Sam Brady drove over for a try converted by Steene.
Chester fought their way back and Liam Reeve kicked two penalties in the 18th and 22nd minutes to reduce the deficit to 10 – 6. However, they suffered a third yellow card just before half time, and when they failed to find touch, Harrogate ran the ball back and was awarded a penalty in front of the posts. However, this was missed leaving Gate in front by only four points at the end of the first half.
Shortly after the resumption, Steene intercepted around half way and ran unopposed to stretch Harrogate’s lead with an unconverted try.
Reeve then kicked a penalty for Chester before they were permanently reduced to 14 men in the 58th minute when George Baxter was red-carded.
Rory Macnab and Reeve then exchanged penalties to leave the score 18 – 12 with 12 minutes to go.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Chester got their just reward when Ben Ivory scored in the right hand corner with just minutes left. Unfortunately the conversion was missed.
Harrogate however made sure of victory when Steene kicked a penalty from Chester’s 10 metre line as time ran out.
Harrogate’s next match is a vital game at Preston Grasshoppers next Saturday, kick off at 2.30pm.
Teams
Harrogate: Elrington, Buckley, Rawlinson, Fox, Yates, Steene, Olley, Derbyshire, Ridgway, Peace, Fenn, Brady (c), Dodds, Hill, Spencer-Jones. Replacements: Percival, Elsayed, Jackson, Macnab, Walker.
Chester: Long, Ivory, Craven, Lewtas, Green (c), Reeve, Holloway, Williams, Croft, Furnival, Byrne, Lloyd, Joseph, Baxter, Cox. Replacements: Robson, Woods, Spalding, Owen, Hampson.
Referee: Gavin Jones (RFU)
Tim Thorley
Harrogate RUFC
6 March 2023
