SRUFC mens 2nd XV convincing defeat of Harrogate 2nd XV

Match Report: Ben Whitney

Sheffield 2nd XV 45 - 15 Harrogate Georgians

Sheffield 2s too strong for plucky Harrogate Georgians.

Old Merit Premiership foes Harrogate Georgians made the trip to South Yorkshire to face a strong Sheffield 2nd team at Abbeydale Park.

The Sheffield team which romped to victory over Cleckheaton in the previous weekend’s encounter was subject to some enforced changes. Loosehead prop Joe Cooke, fly half Brad Chandler, scrum half Will Hodgson and fullback and 2nd team captain Benjamin Shore were away with the first team, making way in the starting line up for Ben Parker, Ed Anglin, Jordan Hamilton. Ross Hobbs and Ben Hopkinson were promoted to the starting team, with Thomas Marples and Sean Casey coming into the squad to form an experienced bench.

After the early morning downpour, conditions at Abbeydale Park were excellent as Sheffield started the game with the wind in their favour and the low mid-afternoon sun on their backs.

Harrogate kicked off and both teams started the game brightly, showing good endeavour but little penetrative potential as the early exchanges were played between the ten metre lines, with neither team allowing their defence to be breached. The larger Sheffield pack, marshalled by scrum half Parker, played with good attacking structure in the opening period, with Fagan, Salt, Hopkinson and Carrington leading the charge but a solid Harrogate defence led by the ever present openside flanker ensured that the Georgians’ territory was never seriously threatened. It wasn’t until midway through the first half that Sheffield were awarded a penalty under the Harrogate sticks for hands in the ruck but Leonard who had mixed fortunes from the kicking tee put the ball wide and three point went begging. Soon after, Harrogate were up the other end and this time it was Sheffield who were penalised in their own 22 but Harrogate missed their shot at goal to maintain the 0-0 stalemate.

Despite the Sheffield pack’s dominance at set piece, it took a well read interception from winger Ali Womack, who had embedded himself in amongst the Georgians’; backline, to gather the misjudged pass and streak away from 40 metres out, rolling back the years to score the game’s opening try under the posts. Leonard, blaming his ‘new boots’ was again unable to find his kicking radar. 5-0 Sheffield.

Harrogate responded and deep in Sheffield territory were awarded a penalty, and making no mistake this time around, the Harrogate kicker narrowed the score line to 5 - 3 but with half time beckoning Parker went over for a crucial score which gave Sheffield with some breathing space going into the interval.

HALF TIME SHEFFIELD 10 - 3 HARROGATE

The message of half time from Coach Cotton was to "keep doing the same thing", or words to that effect. Experienced captain Tom King reassured the young Sheffield side that sticking to patterns of play would eventually break down the determined but disorganised Harrogate defence. Lo and behold, despite the conditions now being in Harrogate’s favour, the second half was one way traffic with Sheffield running in trys from off the back of a solid scrum, from mauls, offloads and breaks from 9.

Harrogate had their purple patch but at 29-15 to the home side who were in cruise control, the final result never seemed in doubt. When winger Ali Womack offloaded the ball which rebounded off a retreating Harrogate player’s face over the Georgians’ try line, only for the pacey Adcock to dot down, it looked certain that it was going to be Sheffield’s day.

Other notable moments were a well executed try from Womack from an excellent pick up from the base of a dominant scrum by Ben Hopkinson and a unnecessarily mazy run from fullback Jordan Hamilton, sidestepping non-existent defenders to score under the posts.

Leonard found his eye in the second half and made some good kicks. Final score, Sheffield: 45 - 15: Harrogate.

Team : 1. Hobbs 2. Owens 3. Whitney 4. Fagan 5. Salt. 6. Carrington. 7. Adcock. 8. Hopkinson. 9. Parker 10. Leonard 11. Womack 12. King 13. Fairclough 14. Anglin 15. Hamilton
Finishers: Marples, Casey, O’Brien

Man of the Match: Hopkinson