Harrogate comeback thwarted as Hull are given 'reality check'

Harrogate 30

Caldy 32

A LATE penalty dashed Harrogate's hopes of crowning their second-half fightback with a victory.

This was a thrilling encounter with both sides scoring four tries and two penalties but Caldy's three conversions to Harrogate's two was the difference.

Caldy looked impressive in the first half and hooker Dowdridge's early try was converted by fly-half Vasey.

Harrogate replied with a penalty from Chalmers but Vasey dtruck back with one before Harrogate wing Rob Almond, was adjudged to have deliberately knocked on and was shown a yellow card.

With Harrogate a man short, Caldy increased the pressure and right wing Craig Ross was next to score but the conversion hit the post. Centre Gavin Roberts then broke through on the Harrogate 22 for a try converted by Vasey to complete Caldy's first half scoring.

Harrogate scored a well created try through full-back Ali Chalmers which he converted to make it 29-10 at the break and the second half belonged to the hosts.

Chalmers opened with a penalty and man-of-the-match flanker Alex Rieder, scored his debut try for the club following some slick handling by the centres Dench and Broadley, but the conversion went wide

Broadley made the break for Harris to send in Dench, whose incisive running led to his second try which Chalmers converted.

With time running out, Caldy were awarded a penalty which Vasey kicked for victory.

Leicester Lions 40

Hull 3

Hull lost their first game of the season against a good tactical performance from Leicester in what new signing Oli Cook described as a 'big reality check'.

Hull conceded a penalty inside 10 minutes which John Boden struck and Lions scored their first try two minutes later.

Full-back Gareth Collins leapt over two challenges on his way into the left corner and Boden converted.

Hull captain James Cameron kicked a penalty when James Greene's dash inside from the flank brought a clumsy challenge.

Leicester's sustained pressure ended in lock Todd Mitchell finding a gap to go through and Boden converted.

With 35 minutes gone, winger Scott Morris supported another run on the left and collected the offload to run in. Boden ended the half with a penalty after Hull were caught with their hands in the ruck.

Lions started the second half with another penalty. After some resistance from Hull, Junior Fagalilo collected Leicester's bonus point after 60 minutes following a close-range scrum. Boden converted but missed a penalty five minutes later.

Leicester saved their best try for last. Fagalilo scooped the ball into the full-back's path after a tackle on the flank and when Collins moved inside, he spotted the run on the right flank from Ben Walker 25 metres out. Walker beat marker Josh Lamping to the corner to wrap the game up, although Boden missed the final conversion.

Kendal 22

Huddersfield 26

Tom Owens relished Dan Hyde's decision to move him from full-back to outside centre and ran in two tries in Huddersfield's hard-fought and deserved victory.

If anything, the score flattered the home side, who only closed to within four points with an 80th-minute converted try.

Huddersfield looked lively in attack and defended solidly. They had the game well under control by half-time when they had a 19-8 advantage with Owen's two tries and three penalties from the dependable Chris Johnson.

Kendall increased the pressure in the second half and it took resolute defending from Huddersfield to restrict them to a single converted try.

With 10 minutes left, Johnson capped a fine personal display with a try, which he converted to stretch the lead to 26-12 and even conceding a late try could not take the gloss off a victory that will send them full of confidence into their encounter with Harrogate at the weekend.

Hull Ionians 24

Loughborough Students 41

Ionians staged an excellent fightback after three tries in the first 15 minutes had put the Students in front and only a stoppage-time breakaway took the game out of reach.

Students knew they had been in a hard game after the final quarter had seen Ionians surging forward looking for the try to at least earn a bonus point.

Students opened with rugby at pace and tries from Alex Waddingham and Callum Wilson on the overlap, with Camillo Pirelli driven over in between.

Ionians earned a penalty by James Ferguson and Students gained the bonus point on 17 minutes when scrum-half Jordan Brookes broke through for a solo try and George Drake converted. Ionians dominated the second quarter and Ferguson added three penalties.

After the break, Mike MacFarlane and centre Chris Kinlock used their pace to score converted tries before Ionians' Adam Thomas darted in. A fine break from Dan Porter enabled Oli Marns to go in by the posts, Ferguson converting, but further pressure was thwarted before Students rounded things off.

Morley 14

Fylde 25

Morley opened up with a burst that staggered their opponents but were unable to build and were overpowered in the second half.

It took just nine minutes for second-row John Stannard to force his way over with Charlie Spon-Smith adding the conversion.

Five minutes later, Morley's incisive start was rewarded when scrum-half Sean Dadswell scampered over to put his side 14-0 in front.

The visitors played their way back into the game and a try from captain Sam Beaumont and a converted penalty try reduced the gap. Just before the interval, a third try nudged them into a 17-14 lead.

Morley had the chance to cut the gap but a penalty went wide and from the start of the second period, Fylde took charge, scoring a penalty and a try from winger Nick Royle.