National Two North: Backs show the way for hosts as Harrogate get off to great start

Dazzling back play took Harrogate into an early 10-point lead while the final 20 minutes also featured complete home attacking superiority.

However, Nuneaton came back strongly in the middle period and the result was very much in doubt until late on.

An opening minute break from home full back, Ed Smithies, set up a try in the corner for the incisive centre Kyle Dench.

Another attacking situation was thwarted when Harrogate were penalised for crossing but Nuneaton missed touch and quick recycled ball led to a try for winger James Rothwell.

The Harrogate attacks continued but Nuneaton were trying to compete by slowing the game down and managed to force a home 22 drop out.

A quick tap was taken but a bad knock on was pounced on by Nuns prop, Adam Woodfield and he thundered over for a try converted by Lee Chapman.

Nuneaton then took the lead when Nick Smith touched down from a driving maul and Chapman's conversion made it 10-14 to the visitors.

Harrogate's Mike Aspinall then set up a counter attack which was carried on by Rob Almond. Jamie Broadley supported brilliantly to score and give Harrogate a 15-14 half-time lead.

An early Chapman penalty put Nuneaton ahead once more but this proved to be their final score.

The Harrogate backs quickly struck back and won the bonus point when Broadley completed a slick move initiated by Dench and carried on by Almond.

The home pack became more dominant from this stage and scrum half Phil Wickham made a sniping break, Almond carried on the move and outstripped the defence for a fine converted try.

More inventive play led to a line-out on the Nuns five-metre line and replacement flanker Andrew Enston scored from the subsequent driving maul.

Harrogate's offensive continued and a smartly taken quick penalty from Heaton set up the game's final try from Ali Chalmers.

Morley 25

Caldy 50

After a promising start, Morley found themselves under the cosh against a strong Caldy side.

Left wing Simon Bradshaw put Morley in front after five minutes and even though the visitors hit back quickly, Bradshaw went over again, adding the conversion to put Morley 12-7 in front. But that was only the signal for Caldy to up the pressure and before the break they ran in three tries and a penalty against a solitary Bradshaw penalty to see them turn round 29-15 ahead.

Bradshaw's boot reduced the gap early in the second half but the visitors stretched their lead to 50-18 before Morley's Bradley Marshall had the last word.

Kendal 22

Hull 29

The strength of Hull's pack made the difference in their opening National League 2 North game of the season.

Mark Ireland scored the first of five penalties after three minutes when Hull struggled in the early scrums. But a minute later from a Hull put-in Matt White found Tevita Vaikona 30 metres out who shrugged off the first tackle and got to the last man before off-loading to Alex Piercy to dive over with James Cameron converting.

Two further Kendal penalties got the home team ahead by the 25th minute but fate intervened for Hull's scrum half White after a clearance from the right touchline in his own half bounced all the way to the try zone. White caught the five metre headstart from Kendal's no. 8 to land on the ball and re-take the lead despite the missed conversion.

Both sides successfully scored a penalty before the break but Vaikona extended Hull's lead within minutes of the restart. Kendal had a poor lineout on the halfway line that was easily intercepted and the first ruck had enough tempo to set Vaikona on his way to run straight at the posts and lead by ten after the conversion.

Ten minutes later Kendal got their try from a close range catch and drive which new captain Gareth Gore finished and Ireland converted to bring the scores within three. But with 20 minutes left Hull started a rapid counter attack that saw White set Vaikona off again who found winger Piercy open and he finished off unopposed.

Debutant James Greene converted and even though Ireland got his fifth penalty with ten to go Hull held on.

Hull Ionians 13

Fylde 34

Hull Ionians made a lively start but Fylde slowly gained the upper hand to dominate possession and secure victory.

A deep kick by James Ferguson set up an attack where Fylde killed the ball for an easy three points for Ionians but a similar offence saw Mike Waywell equalise and then Sam Beaumont went over for Fylde.

Five minutes later lost ball saw Fylde counter attack with flanker Dan Waller racing to the posts, then just before the break another close-range line-out ended with prop Pete Altham going over, all three converted.

Straight from the next kick-off Gary Stephenson carved through to the corner.

The match was spoilt by a red card each to Fylde's Grant Ferguson and Ionians's Joe Sanders but Fylde were not to be denied as tries from Craig Aikman and Waller saw them to victory.

Dan Hyde's reign as Huddersfield coach started with a disappointing 31-22 defeat at Preston Grasshoppers.