Hoppers are relegated
Once again, Hoppers squandered a useful lead as Harrogate ran in five second-half tries against a sometimes wafer-thin defence.
The hosts did score four touchdowns of their own, to claim their first four-try bonus point for almost six months, but left departing head coach Garth Dew admitting: “The inevitable has happened and we have got to get some pride back in the shirt and get some momentum for next season,
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Hide Ad“In the first half, that’s the best we’ve attacked for a while, but in the second half it was the same old thing, giving away penalties and turnovers and inviting pressure on ourselves.”
Possession was a major problem for Hoppers, but when they did have the ball, they fashioned some nice scores as they took a 25-12 lead inside the first half-hour.
In fact, it was Harrogate who scored first, having a try after just 35 seconds disallowed for a forward pass, but making amends two minutes later through centre Keane Naylorl.
When winger Jacob Browne was taken out in a kick-chase, Preston kicked to the corner, won the line-out and got hooker Matt Beatty over wide after scrum-half Ryan Glynn’s switch of play, for Lewis Allen to convert.
The skipper added a penalty, then converted Sam Gale’s try.
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Hide AdHarrogate full-back David Doherty scored following a mazy run and Sam Fox converted, but Allen landed another penalty and flanker Matt Frings rounded off an attack started by full-back Niall Crossley’s break for the hosts’ third try and a handsome-looking lead.
After the break. Fox got Harrogate going with a try which he also converted. Then, with Hoppers lock Ally Murray in the sin-bin for a high tackle, the visitors scored two more tries, through Sam Brady and Ben Dixon, with one conversion by Fox to make it 25-31.
Olly Rosillo scored from a kick ahead and winger Luke Edwards had a clean run to the posts to round off a move started in Harrogate’s 22. Fox added one conversion and it was little consolation when Gale crashed over for his second try, converted by Allen.