Harborough Pay Price for Penalties

Northampton Road was basking in warm late summer sunshine as both teams took to the pitch for the league season opener.

Nuneaton's backline got off to a fast start with some slick handling moves and they needed to be well marshalled by the Harborough defence.

Harborough applied pressure in the Nuneaton 22, but were unable to put points on the board and the visitors began to slowly move up the pitch. After a penalty for offside at the breakdown, Nuneaton kicked into the corner and from the resultant catch and drive, opened the scoring with a converted try, 0-7.

It didn't take long for the home team to respond and after a solid scrum league debutant, Will Leebrook, fed Josh Purnell who put Joe Lafferty over for a nicely worked try on the right wing. Monty Maule converted from the out wide 7-7. The game was opening up and Nuneaton had certainly come to play, they scored again on 25 minutes creating an overlap wide on their left wing. With the conversion they stretched their lead out to 7-14.

Harborough were lucky when a 'comedy of errors' turned into a well worked equalising score. Will Leebrook and George Hallam looked like they had ended a promising Harborough attack only for Hallam to chase his own kick, pressurise the Nuneaton fullback, to create a score on the left hand touchline for the young No 8, Leebrook. The conversion was close but no cigar! 12-14.

As half time approached Harborough's scrum was driving the visitors back and the forwards took this dominance into open play. Jack Brown left like a salmon from the restarts and Jack Digby and Jack Burrows were on hand for some trade mark runs into the visitors defensive line. A particularly powerful surge into the Nuneaton 22, created a quick ball for the backs, whose slick hands sent Lafferty over for his second try on the right wing. Monty Maule stepped up and dispatched the conversion!

Half Time 19-14

The second half started well for the visitors with an early penalty and they closed the score to 19-17. Harborough started to give away too many penalties and it was ultimately to cost them the game. As they looked to establish field position, they were thwarted by their own several misdemeanors, which let the visitors back into the game. Nuneaton were a well drilled outfit and didn't need a second invitation to grasp the initiative. Josh Purnell was then unfortunate to receive a yellow card, but Harborough did extend their lead in the following ten minute period with a Maule penalty to lead 22-17.

Gradually the penalty count rose and the visitors established their own field position deep in the Harborough 22 and drove over to lead 22-24 with 15 minutes remaining. Another Harborough indiscretion was clipped over to increase Nuneaton's lead to five points, 22-27. Harborough never gave up their attacking intent, but continuous covering tackles, from the visitors, kept their try line in tact.

The 'icing on the Nuneaton cake', arrived shortly before full time when again a penalty kicked deep into Harborough's 22 resulted in their forwards driving over to complete the victory 22-34.

Harborough were always in this match, but will have to work on their penalty count in forthcoming weeks. Credit should also be given for the defensive shape of the visitors and their performance brought them a deserved win. There was a promising debut from young Harborough forward Will Leebrook and the Harborough scrum and forwards put a good shift in on a hot afternoon. The team will build from this and look to bounce back at Oadby Wyggs next week.

A big thank you to the grounds team ably led by Tony Waterfield, Sulwyn Morris, Mike King and Rich Lainchbury. The pitches were terrific!!