Parsons hat-trick earns bonus as Ionians celebrate at the double

Leicester Lions 27Harrogate 34

HARROGATE remain Yorkshire's top team in the division following this win in the wind.

They attacked from the start with the outstanding Ben Sowerey prominent before Mike Aspinall struck a penalty.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jon Boden equalised for Leicester and they took a quick penalty after a Harrogate scrummage offence and a slick three-quarter move ended with Lee Dyment crossing for Boden to convert.

Steve Parsons almost scored for Harrogate and Gareth Collins was a constant threat for the Lions.

The next score came from Boden's penalty but the visitors continued to threaten and Collins was yellow-carded for illegally preventing a score. Aspinall's penalty narrowed the gap and Harrogate took advantage of the extra man with a sweeping back move which resulted in a converted try by Parsons.

Leicester continued to press with the wind behind them but Harrogate's defence held firm.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The second half started evenly but Boden's penalty put Lions further ahead.

The visitors went straight back on to the offensive and a seemingly certain try was stopped by a high tackle. From the penalty, Harrogate set up a series of driving mauls and replacement lock Jake Brady powered over.

The conversion put Harrogate into the lead and when Lions counter-attacked, Parsons snapped up the loose ball and sprinted 45 metres to score between the posts.

A period of Leicester pressure followed and winger Scott Alfeld tucked in behind a forward drive to score.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Parsons's hat-trick and Harrogate's bonus point came with the next try and Leicester earned a losing bonus point with a penalty in stoppage time.

Hull Ionians 19

Rugby Lions 10

Two tries in the two minutes either side of the break saw Ionians in command and a sustained workrate brought them a well- earned double over Rugby Lions.

Ionians soon ran from their own line, Steve Slingsby kicking ahead, James Greene, James Rule and Danny Hague combining to send in James Ferguson, with Joe Wright converting from wide out.

An Ionians penalty hit the post before Rugby's Tom Harris crossed on the overlap and Jack Green converted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lions hooker Ben Spokes was yellow-carded before Ionians' Mark Wigham and Danny Hague sent in Adam Thomas.

Ionians opened the second half with a try after a jinking run by Slingsby.

Wright converted and the only response was a penalty from Phil Reed.