Saturday 1 February 2025
Sheffield maintained their push for promotion with a 7 try win over Harrogate.
Winning the ball from the kick-off, Sheffield maintained possession for Rhodri Campbell to score in the 3rd minute. Gate responded 4 minutes later through a Rory Macnab penalty.
Harrogate drove over the line in the 17th minute, but were held up by the Sheffield defence resulting in a goal-line drop-out. However, they took the lead 2 minutes later when Kodie Brook collected and ran in from 22 metres.
Sheffield regained the lead in the 23rd minute through Christian Hooper, converted by Elliot Fisher, before Fisher converted his own try in the 26th minute following a flowing move down the right.
Sheffield was reduced to 14 men in the 32nd minute when Archie Crapper was yellow-carded. Nonetheless, they scored their 4th try as time expired in the first half through Campbell, converted by Fisher.
Sheffield received a further yellow card in the 42nd minute as Hooper tried to make an interception, and at the end of this period, Jacob Percival reduced the deficit for Harrogate. Deft footwork, following a grubber kick from Sam Brady, saw him pounce for a try in the 52nd minute. Unfortunately for Gate, Sheffield then scored a further 20 points to close out the game.
Firstly, Fisher kicked a penalty in the 64th minute. Hooper got his second try in the 67th minute, collecting a loose ball in midfield and running in from outside the 22. Then Matty Drennan scored under the posts 6 minutes later for Fisher to convert.
Finally, as the game came to a close, Harrogate kicked through almost to Sheffield’s goal-line. The ball was collected by the defence who ran the ball all the way back for Ryan Burrows to cross in the right-hand corner and complete the scoring.
Next week, Gate travel to Chester, kick-off at 3pm.
Teams:
Harrogate: Dobson, Chell, Nuu, Brook, Abram, Metcalf, Macnab, Percival, Maycock, Derbyshire, Gilmartin, Brady (c), Pritchard, Hill, Tomalin.
Replacements: Fretwell, Head, Richardson, Sharma, Toomey.
Sheffield: Castledine, Flint, Pegg, Smith, Hooper, Posa, Fisher, Whitney, Campbell, Hicklin, Crapper, Parsons (c), Fawdry, Hughes, Burrows.
Replacements: Reid, Lonsdale, Adcock, Taylor, Drennan.
Referee: Daniel Woods (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Irvine (RFU)
Graham Bentley (RFU)
Report by Tim Thorley, Harrogate RUFC
