Saturday 13th. October 2018
Northern Premier League
Harrogate 50 – 12 Wilmslow
For forty minutes, Wilmslow's small travelling band of supporters dared to believe that this was to be the day when their side had adapted to the demands of rugby at this level. From the outset, the Wolves had taken the game to their opponents, had dominated the first quarter, scored two good tries and led 12 – 5 at half time. Nobody would say that they didn't deserve to have their noses in front at that stage and indeed if they had managed a third score during this period, that wouldn't have been an unfair reflection of the game at that stage.
It had taken its toll though and coach Rick Jones found himself having to shuffle his resources to the extent that the Wolves couldn't field an authentic winger during the second period. The home side meanwhile had no doubt been the beneficiaries of some very plain anglo saxon language, or possibly anglo norse in these parts, from their coaches and had re-emerged from their changing room, spitting fire from their nostrils as it were. They looked a totally different side as they set about dismantling the Wolves first half dominance.
It didn't take long, they forced a lineout in the Wilmslow half from the restart, earned a penalty on the far side and from the lineout drove for their second try of the afternoon. Ten minutes on, the mismatch on the left wing became painfully apparent as the Harrogate ball carrier skipped through an attempted tackle to make a scoring inside pass. After that, the wheels just fell off the Wilmslow chariot. Denied much possession, they tried to chase the game whenever they could. Inevitably, mistakes just grew, what possession they did have was quickly lost and it became something of a procession for the resurgent home side, who ran in another five tries without reply.
The omens had never been good for the Wolves in this match. The Harrogate match programme listed results against the visitors since 1956. Wilmslow's last win against them was in 1977 and the sides hadn't met since 1987. Recently Harrogate have moved to a new ground, named as the Stratstone Stadium, in Rudding Park on the south side of town, their old Claro Road ground having being cashed in for development. The pitch runs from North to South with a bank on the Western side on which the clubhouse, changing rooms and viewing terrace have been erected. The pitch has the appearance of being in a two sided bowl, elevated on the Northern and Western sides but open to the elements from the South and East. With parkland style bench seating scattered around the bank, the whole set up provides a pleasing aspect to the eye. Whether the bank provides any relief from storms emanating from the North and West, I can't say, but the effects of Storm Callum blowing in from the South West could still be felt along the touchlines. Warm but distinctly breezy would describe the conditions.
The Wolves started well. Their opening move produced a chance for George Witham on the left wing, who was just bundled into touch as he went for the line. A penalty award then set up a lineout taken by Mike Clifford which culminated in No. 8 Alex Taylor touching down. The Wolves continued to press, there was a break by centre Ethan Harding, Clifford was then just held up and a MacCallum penalty attempt was deflected by a vicious gust of wind. Despite having two players in the sin bin, Harrogate turned over possession on around the twenty minute mark to put No. 8 Tim Heaton in for an equalising score. Nevertheless, the Wolves scrum was the dominant force at this stage of the game, driving the Harrogate eight back yards at a time more than once. On the half hour, centre Jonny Kennedy made a powerful run deep into Harrogate territory and when the ball was recycled, lock Mike Clifford had acres of space to run in for the second try. An audacious steal by scrum half Sean Street in his own half nearly produced a third try but he was just caught from behind by the covering defence.
With the wind behind them in the second period, one might have thought that the Wolves would be able to exploit this to the advantage. Not at all! In fact, they hardly saw any more of the ball for the rest of the game. Harrogate now played like a side that is fancied for a top two finish. Their bigger more athletic players started to run with intent, the Wolves tacklers became increasingly stretched, and the gaps started to open up. Hooker Aarin Yorke was attributed with the catch and drive try that got them going immediately after the break. Andrew Lawson was then on hand to take the inside pass for their third try. MacCallum's restart was got hold of by the wind and was easily run back. The Wolves defensive line was broken for centre Nathan Wyman to canter in for the fourth try. Their fifth had its origins in a mid field muddle by the Wolves, leading to a turnover and a try for Olly Rosillo. A desperate attempt by Kennedy to get the Wolves moving was then intercepted by Lawson for his second try of the afternoon. Two more tries followed in the final two minutes as first flanker James Millington was up for try number seven and then finally another tackle was missed on the left wing as Harrogate ran in their final score from Danny Matthews.
Before the game, nobody had really thought the Wolves would get much out of this game except some increasing angst. It was then doubly disappointing that such a promising first period should have been followed by such a hiding in the second. There had always been the fear that the Wolves would lack the strength in depth needed at this level. They are well served at half back by MacCallum and Street, Harding and Kennedy are a real a handful and decent unit in the centre and up front you couldn't ask for much more from the Taylor brothers and Mike Clifford. Some of the others are not so far off raising their game to what's needed but rugby is now an eighteen man game and there are still those who, for all their willingness and undoubted intent, are still finding it difficult to last the whole eighty minutes against the bigger, faster and more powerful players they are coming up against.
In their last two games, the Wolves have put in two successive halves of winning rugby but regrettably not in the same game. Let's hope they can make a step forward next week when they are at home to Sandal.
Photo: Sean Street passes to Adam Hewitt.
Match report by David Pike.
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