LYMM are still in a promotion fight after travelling to Harrogate and coming away with a 31 – 36 victory.
Joint league leaders, Lymm weaved their way across the Pennines to Harrogate for the return fixture, following a comfortable 57 – 24 win at Beechwood earlier in the season.
Always considered a difficult side to play, especially at home, Lymm last beat Harrogate at the grandly named Apollo Capital Stadium, in a close-fought encounter back in 2018, by 20 – 21.
Harrogate, who were promoted from North East Regional 1 (Level 5) at the end of last season, currently sit at the bottom of the league table with just two wins and a draw from 15 games.
Lymm started brightly enough and, in the very first action, with the home team showing a level of porosity, good hands released prop Matty Hand to sprint home from 20m out to score near the posts – 0 – 7 after 2 minutes with fly-half Tom Shard’s conversion.
As so often this season Lymm started brightly moving the ball wide and away from Harrogate’s large and heavy pack – a tactic deemed sensible by the extensive cohort of away supporters. However, mistakes crept in and Harrogate’s maul, not for the last time, served them well resulting in a converted try – 7 – 7.
Individual Lymm players, attempting to make ground, found themselves isolated and Harrogate won two penalties in quick succession for holding on. Scrum-half Cal Morris, who was a thorn in Harrogate’s side all afternoon, then made a half break and clever inter-passing released left wing Paddy Jennings who beat the last man to score wideout – 7 – 12 with no conversion.
A penalty for off-side allowed Harrogate to kick for the corner but this was repelled and a high tackle on fullback Nathan Beesley, and the resultant penalty, removed the risk.
Lymm had an attacking line-out and then an attacking scrum. Pressure was building and several drives later, and following determined defence from Harrogate, they now won back the ball. However, while trying to clear their lines, Lymm went for the juggler and charged the kick down. Twinkle-toed prop Matty Hand gratefully pounced and scored his second – 7 – 17.
Refusing to accept domination, Harrogate’s tall second row athletically caught the kick-off and excellent, quick hands to the left released the back-rower wideout who could not be caught, all in the twinkling of an eye.
This confidence booster, and conversion, took the score to 14 – 17 after 31 minutes and game on! What followed was a mid-field tussle as neither side threatened the try lines. However, Harrogate’s forwards, with the advantage of an attacking line-out from a Lymm kick that went out on the full, went for another driving maul and eventually scored an unconverted try as the half-time whistle went. 19 – 17 and the lead, for the first time, went to the home side.
HT: 19 – 17
Lymm, clearly stung into action, once again started the half brightly as they moved the ball wide and created the extra man as centre Ste Pilkington drew the last defender and fed full back Beesley out wide, who made no mistake, scoring the bonus point try. The conversion was missed but the lead was retained after 2 minutes of the half played – 19 – 22.
There then followed an odd period of play from Lymm who combined some dubious decisions with silly mistakes. Although still intent on moving it wide, Lymm were awarded two very kickable penalties in quick succession. Both times the corner was kicked for and both times no scores were recorded.
A yellow card for Harrogate, followed by a determined thrust by replacement hooker Rob Makin, resulted in a well-worked try for him near the posts. 19 – 29 and daylight at last.
Following the kick-off Matty Hand, that rampant try scorer, was also yellow-carded for a high tackle. His hat trick would have to wait!
But Harrogate were conceding nothing and a clever kick-pass wide out from the fly-half to the right winger resulted in a well taken, but unconverted try – 24-29. It was the only real piece of enterprise from the Harrogate backs all afternoon, but a telling one.
Again, a series of missed kicks and dropped passes in midfield from Lymm, started to make the nervous away supporters jittery.
Opportunities came and went for Lymm and against sterner opportunities this profligacy would have been punished. A promising thrust down the right wing was thwarted but replacement scrum-half Tom Manaton, not for the first time this season, spotted a chink near the posts and, following concerted drives from the forwards, made his way over the line. 24 – 36 with Shard’s conversion and 10mins to play.
Fly half Tom Shard in kicking action
But Harrogate were not finished yet and their modus operandi of a driving maul gave them the last score of the match, under the posts. 31 – 36 as the conversion went over and the whistle went, to tangible relief from the away supporters.
Full time – 31 – 36
Director of Rugby Adam Fletcher was also relieved but could see room for improvement. ‘Happy to get the 5 points but the performance wasn’t where it needed to be. In the first half we gave Harrogate too many opportunities to launch their ‘pick and go’ game. We were better in the second half and managed to find a way to win.’
He added:”Special mention to Harry Martin who is moving to London. Harry has been awesome for us over the last few years and has played a big part to our recent success. We wish Harry well and hopefully, it’s not the last time we see him in the green and black.”
The Forwards Coach Mark Williams and equally pragmatic. ‘Pleased to get another 5-point win to take us to 15 wins and 1 loss for the season and joint leaders in the league. Harrogate came at us with a very abrasive game plan and was good for the two points they took from the game.
‘Ultimately we did enough, but with an in-form Tynedale visiting us next, we know we need to get back to our best to stay in the title race with Leeds Tykes & Sheffield.’
Harrogate deemed Scrum half Cal Morris Man of the Match for Lymm but a special mention is made for centre Jack Reynolds who took the game to the opposition and was also outstanding, along with the dynamic back rower Josh Hadland who never seems to miss a tackle.
Also a big thank you to the referee Gavin Jones and his two assistant referees/touch judges, without whom we would not have a game.
Team
1. Ben Lilley (13); 2. James Pitcher* (83); 3. Matty Hand* (123); 4. James Yates* (126); 5. Ben Thompson (43); 6. Harry Martin (64); 7. Rhys Lilly* (65); 8. Josh Hadland* (52); 9. Cal Morris (54); 10. Tom Shard* (145); 11. Paddy Jennings* (68); 12. Ste Pilkington* (79); 13. Jack Reynolds (31); 14. Andy Williams* (24); 15. Nathan Beesley* (83).
Bench
16. Samir Tahraoui (16); 17. Rob Makin* (80); 18. Joe Higgins (18); 19. Isaac Millachip* (8); 20. Tom Manaton (13).
() Denotes First XV caps
*Denotes Graduate of the Lymm Colts Academy
