Godefroy's hatrick of tries helps ensure Harborough end the year with a win

With 27 players for each team another festive game of 3 x 30 minute periods provided some great rugby for the big crowd as Market Harborough ended their year on a winning note at Northampton Road. Aylestone provided a stern test with some big forwards and hard tackling backs but they were no match for the pace of the Harborough backs or the power of a number of Harborough players not least Woody who cleared up any bad ball from the scrum, the returning James Yogi Green who seemed somewhat rejuvenated by his few weeks off with injury and the ageless Kev Howley, although the less said about his kicking from hand the better! If they provided the power the young Colts, Cameron Boa, once again playing out of position at second row and Charlie Beard at at 9 showed that there is youthful talent coming through the colts. All this combined to ensure that Harborough were playing the game in Aylestone's half and the presuure told as they drove to the coner and Ethan Godefroy was on hand to take the final pass and score in the corner. The game was then turned on its head as Harborough lost the ball on the Aylestone 22 and it was kicked ahead, Harborough failed to gather and the Aylestone winger kicked ahead to touch down under the posts that with the conversion put them 7-5 in the lead. Their lead did not however last long as Godefroy collected the ball on half way and this time blasted his way through the initial defence before outpacing the cover to touch down under the posts for Nick Airey to convert, 12-7 to Harborough. This was followed by strong running and interplay by Finlay Clarke and Harvey Slade that saw them run from within their own half with Slade touching down and with Airey converting, Harborough were 19-7 in front at the end of the first period. Harborough then rang the changes but continued to dominate although it was Aylestone that got the first score as Harborough took time to settle. Harborough however struck back as Luke Mathers playing out of position on the wing showed that he had pace as he ran in from 40 metres to bring the score to 24-12 after Harborough took a ball against the head in the scrum. This became 31-12 when Simon Dowling showed that it was not just the Colts that can excel at scrum half as he made an excellent break before off-loading to the ever-present Jack Roginski who, after creating the gap, gave the ball to Godefroy who used his strength to touch down. Jack Williams added the conversion. Ayelestone managed to reduce this to 31-17 before the nd of the second period. The final period was scoreless but notable in showing that Charlie Standley still has considerable pace and Woody does a very good impression as a brick wall although personally I would rather run into a wall.