ROSSENDALE 7 HARROGATE 26

Unfortunately not against a well drilled and competent Harrogate who had most of the answers and thoroughly deserved the win, yet at 7-21 coming into the final stages when it looked as though the home side would score for a possible 14-21 finish, an interception sealed the win in the Yorkshire side's favour allowing them to garner the bonus point and the leave the East Lancashire outfit empty handed. Harsh but that's rugby!

Harrogate got off to a flying start and with a well orchestrated kicking game from outside half Luke White who tantalised and probed the Rossendale defence, Harrogate were 0-21 up at the interval through tries from Luke Edwards Danny Matthews and Jonny Van Coser all converted by White.

Rossendale did have opportunities but the Harrogate defence at this stage proved nigh impossible to break down.

The home side fared much better in the second half and from a quickly taken tap penalty James Bramall found Tom Leader up in the line and with Phil Mills showing up on the inside, the full back put him in under the posts. Lewis Allen slotted the conversion and as the game moved into its closing stages Rossendale looked the more likely to score but the interception slammed the gate shut on any possibility.

Geoff Lightfoot