National League 2

Harrogate RUFC cruised to their fourth National League 2 North victory of the season beating an injury-hit Stockport 59-14.

This week Otley Rugby Club head south west for a league fixture against Stourbridge. Neither team have started the season as expected.

Our preview focused on Garth Dew's return to Sedgley Park with his club Preston Grasshoppers. We were not disappointed with a game that was hard fought but with thrilling periods of play.

Perhaps inevitably we focus this week on former Sale Sharks and Sedgley Park Tigers man Garth Dew in his new role as Head Coach with Preston Grasshoppers.

Harrogate are scheduled to move to their new Ground in January so this nail biter was their last Claro Road local derby against Otley.

Captain Joseph Makin scored a hat-trick; scoring two tries in the first-half and was backed up by Ben Winterburn and Alex Campbell as Hull Ionians made it five National League Two North wins in a row.

This talented Harrogate side is still not “firing on all cylinders”. Although they scored 3 tries to 1, this was yet another very tight game which they should have won. They dominated the lines-out with Chris Wilson winning several Hull throws but their powerful scrum fell foul of Mr Makepeace’s law interpretations at times.

A gallery of images, provided by Glenn Hutton, from Sedgley Park's National League 2 North victory over Leicester Lions.

Oliver Carter scored a late try as Stockport were beaten 19-18 by Preston Grasshoppers at Headlands Road in National League 2 North.

A draw was probably the right result after this scrappy match. Harrogate scored both the game’s tries and certainly played the more enterprising rugby.

The National Two North clash between Stockport and Sedgley Park Tigers produced 95 points and 14 tries as the away side won 85-10.

The wet conditions suited the powerful Stourbridge power play but Harrogate’s tigerish defence kept them in the game and they thoroughly deserved their losing bonus point.

Broadstreet were first time callers to Park Lane and the visitors, last seasons National League 3 Midlands Champions, acquitted themselves well and pushed Sedgley Park Tigers all the way.

A combination of injuries and Easter unavailabilities led to Harrogate taking a weakened side to Birmingham for this re-arranged fixture. The players responded with an outstanding team performance with many of them giving us their best game of the season.

For any young player, to be the top try scorer for your club and then one of the league’s you play in is a tremendous feat, but to do that all from the front row of the scrum, at hooker, Sedgley Park’s Jonny Matthews has accomplished an incredible feat.

Rotherham Titans are delighted to announce Zylon McGaffin has agreed terms to join the club ahead of the 2014/15 Greene King IPA Championship season. Twenty three years-old McGaffin joins the Clifton Lane based side from National Two North side Darlington Mowden Park, where he has been in outstanding form since his return from home in South Africa.

A number of good performances by Birmingham fullback Oscar Heath in the National 2 North league has attracted a lot of interest in the young back; however, a hat-trick against the league’s top team, Macclesfield – who now look set for promotion – has really got people talking.

Early basic mistakes from Harrogate gave the powerful Sedgley Park team a dream start and they built on this to record a comprehensive win.

After a scoreless first half, Harrogate raised their game to put in a workmanlike team performance to earn a comfortable win.

Yorkshire side Hulll left Manchester and Sedgley Park bitterly disappointed as they rued a missed penalty attempt with the final kick of the game that what have sealed an away victory after a spirited comeback.