Rugby Union: Chances wasted

NCA 2nd XV Championship

WITH the first team enjoying a break from their race for promotion, the attention turned to the second team, also chasing championship glory.

Sedgley began brightly and attacked, forcing Harrogate to defend, but they then broke out and scored a converted try on their very first visit to home territory.

Sedgley were soon back on the attack, the best chance falling to Glen Stevens from Chris Leader,s pass, but the winger was bundled into touch just short. The usually reliable Richard Moonie then mishit a simple penalty chance.

In between Harrogate scored again, on their second visit to the Sedgley half, a penalty goal this time.

Sedgley were then indebted to their forwards who produced a massive scrummage to push Harrogate off their own ball at a 5-metre scrum.

With a not insurmountable 0-10 deficit, Sedgley had the advantage of the slope in the second half. But the visitors continued to tackle everything that Sedgley could throw at them, and once again broke out much too easily to score a converted try.

Sedgley began to make mistakes and with the ball turned over with ever increasingly frequency, penalties were conceded and line-outs were lost.

Harrogate's half-backs had kicked well out of defence but it was from a clearance kick that Sedgley finally scored. Stevens fielded it under extreme pressure, the ball was flung across the field left to right then back again, and number 8 John Geddis scored in the left corner.