Ensemble cast eventually overcome stubborn Harrogate

Ensemble Cast Eventually Overcome Stubborn Harrogate.
Captain Chaos put together a mixture of mainly 3s and 4s players with the odd 2nd teamer thrown in for good measure to take on Harrogate Pirates on the big pitch.

There was some debate about whose fixture this should be, your scribe was in favour of this being a 4th team effort.
However Captain Chaos due to extra work in getting this game on has claimed this as a 3rd team game.

We welcomed back James Dew after a 4 year break from rugby and the game began with Foz as our ref for the day.

There was a distinct lack of feeling in the warm up and as ever when you put people together who don’t play regularly cohesion was somewhat absent for the first 20 mins.

Harrogate started the better being first to the breakdown and generally a bit more up for the game. Their forwards were useful and they played pick and go effectively. Leos were a bit disorganised but slowly started to come into the game.

Harrogate scored 2 tries and converted 1 of them to deservedly lead 12 – 0. Harry playing at 9 was having a good game showing speed when sniping around the fringes. Lovers as a makeshift 10 sought to release the likes of the Diddy Doc and the slightly larger Lord Newns. Both made good ground in differing styles with Herring all speed and elusiveness and Newnsy taking the more direct route. Jo Derry also ran hard in the centres but Leos could not break through. The rotund 10 for the day did create a few belly laughs on the sideline when he exhorted his players to stop walking around. The cry from the touchline was “ Do as I say not as I do ! “ Totally fair as I was obviously walking at the time !
Si Dowling at 8 took inside balls and did make good yardage but support was lacking and Leos lost the ball at the breakdown too often. It was a piece of quick thinking from Dewy on the wing that got us back in the game. Taking a lineout sharply he got us on the front foot and Captain Chaos showed up well in support to score a good try. Harry converted and we headed for the break 12 – 7 down.

The halftime words were direct, get up for this game or face losing in front of a noisy if small crowd.

A few changes were made with Stubbsy coming on to the wing and Carl into the centres. The second half was a much better effort all round. The forwards worked a lot harder both in playing pick and go and also in defence. Crucially Leos started to win the contact area. Despite this Harrogate kept coming and only determined defence kept them at bay. From a ruck deep in our 22 Lovers received the ball and probably should have cleared to touch. However he was fed up with kicking it and his Fijian gene decided to activate ! Maybe foolishly the rotund one ran from under his own posts and actually evaded a couple of tacklers, unfortunately when he passed the ball it was lost in contact and a scrum was awarded to the opposition. Still the absent Blakey would have applauded the ambition at least !

The turning point in the game arrived as Leos now firmly on the front foot started to make inroads outwide through the very pacy winger Stubbsy. Edgar now at 10 pulled the strings and before long Stubbsy had scored a couple of wonderful tries from around the halfway line. He simply left any tacklers for dead and gave the 3s a taste of what he will bring to the Barber Bowl in a few weeks time. This was after good quick ball from the forwards and simple but accurate hands in the backs.
Carl also began to make good ground up the middle showing strength breaking tackles as he went. It was at this point that Harry showed his ability. He made a lovely break and on an arching run managed to score a superb try out wide. Harrogate were by now starting to tire on the big pitch and the young fresh legs that had come on for Leos were creating lots of scoring opportunities. The forwards were playing well with Nathan showing good skills in support and Dowling constantly getting us over the gainline with powerful carries. Si did however come off second best when the Pirates huge prop, all 25 ish stone of him, boshed Si out of the way putting him on his backside. This brought roars of laughter from the subs and supporters. Granty was now also on and attempted an unwise dummy getting monstered in the process.

However Leos were now in charge and playing some wonderful running rugby. The diddy doc was linking well with his other backs and from a sweeping move Stubbsy scored his 3rd try of the day capping a great half of rugby. Harry at some point kicked a couple more conversions to make the final score Leos 31 – Harrogate Pirates 12.

The game was played in very good spirits as is always the case when these 2 sides meet.

Man of the match was a close call.

Dowling played well. Stubbsy was also very effective but overall Harry got the nod for his all round game. He has bags of ability and will only get better as he plays more senior rugby.

So we retired to the bar and with the season fast running out and the Barber Bowl looming some of us in the 3s were left to chat about how to stop Stubbsy getting the ball !

It is shaping up to be an epic encounter once more.