The Foresters travelled with the first XV to Harrogate to take on the Georgians. For the second consecutive week the weather was kind and conditions were good.
Harrogate initially were a player short, this was later rectified.
It was Harrogate that started the brighter of the two teams, initially edging the breakdown battle. They took the lead around 5 minutes in after referee Matt Wray awarded them a penalty in the Forester’s 22. Harrogate elected to kick for posts, 3-0.
Whilst the Greens were competing they were guilty of not going through the phases and securing ball at the ruck.
This changed gradually and debutant Jack Cherry, fullback, fielded a long ball in the Greens half. He ran the ball back demonstrating good feet and pace to the Georgians 22. The Foresters forwards now went through several phases producing quick ruck ball. With Dale’s pack stacked left , scrum half Sam Cox had a number of options. Harrogate appeared to be looking to defend the next forward carrier, however the scrum half saw an opportunity close to the ruck and took the gap and ran in under the posts. Score 3-7 after 17 minutes.
Five minutes later and a scrum on the opposition’s 22 metre line saw the Forester’s forwards really start to show dominance. The pack took a scrum against the head, the ball was quickly transferred along the back line and wing, Luther Hall, scored to make it 3-12.
The Foresters were awarded a penalty try 27 minutes in; this was after some good forward interplay play and off load to stand off Omari Kaup Samuels by captain and lock forward Jack Burton. Omari made ground before passing to the supporting outside centre Alex Mounsey. The centre, with a clear run in, was tackled high by the scrambling defence. Referee Wray awarded the penalty try score 3-19.
The Georgians were still in the game and had shown great resilience defending their line. They had, on a number of occasions, had Dale on the back foot and looked dangerous with quick ball. After several phases of play, working their way to just inside the Green’s 22, the Harrogate stand off put a grubber kick through the Green defensive wall. The well weighted kick bounced kindly for the chasing winger to score. 30 minutes into the first half and the score was 10-19.
Some two minutes later, Omari scored under the posts to take the score at half time to 10-26.
Immediately from the restart , wing Luther Hall scored. He regathered the ball from the kick off and such was his momentum that it enabled him to beat several defenders prior to scoring. Score 10-33.
Dale scored again, from a catch and drive line out, through hooker Dan Stockdale after the captain elected to kick for touch, setting up a line out 5 metres from the try line. Score 10-38 at 50 minutes.
The battling Georgians, not to be out, done scored at the 57 minute mark.
Dan Stockdale scored his second try 6 minutes later to put the Foresters 15-43 up after 63 minutes.
Both sides had been making changes to personnel. At 66 minutes in we saw some fabulous Fijian off loads resulting in Harrogate scoring wide on the left. (Score 20-43)
Wharfedale scored three more tries, before the final whistle, through replacements Spencer Bennett, (72nd minute) and two for Jimmy Howorth in the 76th and 80th minute,taking the final score out to 20-62.
Next week the Foresters are at home to the Tynedale Raiders.
Team:-
Starters: –
1, R. Barker 2, D Stockdale 3,T. Whitehead 4, J. Burton (capt.) 5, J. Beecroft 6, Z. Heys 7, D. Wills 8. T, Beresford 9, S. Cox 10. O. Kaup-Samuels 11, L. Hall 12, T. Darwin 13. A. Mounsey 14, O. Hall 15, J. Cherry*
Finishers: –
16, S. Bennett 17, E. Sumner 18, Ollie Bullock 19, J. Howarth 20. J. Wake.
*=debut