On Saturday 24th October during Storm Boelo a rugby match was attempted between Northallerton firsts and Harrogate seconds at Brompton Lodge. With both teams looking for their first win of the season it was North who prevailed 22-19.
Despite a sunny outlook at 2pm, by kick off an hour later, there was horrible gusting wind and cold, sleeting rain lashing down. High praise must be given to the players, staff, officials and the spectators who managed to stay out and endure the whole 80 minutes.
These conditions meant a chilly, lonely and wet afternoon for most of the backs, and it made sense for the game to be controlled through the fat lads. This suited North more as they dominated the scrum and pushed the opposition back at nearly every scrum and maul.

Just five minutes into the game North hooker Nobby Clark Jnr took a strike against the head and with North in total control of the scrum, pushed over from 12 yards for Harold Ewart to continue his good form with a try in the corner. Due to the weather Jack Tart was unsuccessful with the conversion.

Ten minutes later the visitors came back into the game following good work from their back row before releasing the centre to score an unconverted try out wide.
As the storm got worse, the game became very discombobulated as there were numerous handling errors from both sides.

Twenty minutes later Tart produced a precise, wind assisted, cross field kick from his own half to give North a lineout in the Harrogate 22. From the ensuing lineout Norths forwards provided the platform for teenager James Burke to touch down in the corner. The swirling, nasty weather conditions made the conversion impossible for Tart.

With the score at 10-5 the teams had a swift half time break before resuming proceedings.

Harrogate started the second half in better form than the first and began using the conditions to their advantage, pinning North back with some intelligent kicks into Norths 22. From one of these lineouts the visitors stole the ball before a dummy scissors move led to the centre scoring under the posts for his second try of the game. The easier conversion gave the visitors a two point lead.
North also had to make a change due to winger Jake Fisher coming off the wet hair and feeling a bit chilly - typical back. German Hans Rouse, who after last week, was unlucky not to start, came on as replacement for Fisher.
North came back a few minutes later with replacement prop Connor Richmond showcasing his strength and determination by fending off two would be tacklers to score another unconverted try which nudged North back into the lead.
North then for some reason lost their heads and all sense of direction with some terrible decision making. Firstly, North attempted two successive kicks to touch - for some weird reason against the wind! And to NOBODIES surprise, neither kick made touch but were collected comfortably by the opposition. Following these two incomprehensible kicks Norths fly half John Cloutson was carded for either the aforementioned kicks or maybe a late tackle - only the ref knows. North were also extremely lucky not to receive another card for two high tackles in the space of five minutes.
Harrogate took advantage of the extra man to create an overlap and score a converted try for the lead again.
Once North were back to fifteen men, Norths forward again took control and ten minutes before time Richmond powered over for his second try, Tart eventually adding the conversion to give North a three point lead.
With only a few minutes left the home team held on for a hard fought but well deserved victory.
Special mentions should be given to young flanker James Burke who had an impressive game in the loose and also to prop Ed Meek, but man of the match was awarded to Connor Richmond who showed how good he can be if he doesn’t get carded!

Northallerton Ladies cup game against Penrith Panthers on Sunday 25th October, was cancelled as the opposition could not raise a team to travel. North Ladies now progress to the third round of the national cup.

Next week North travel to the Dales, with the men facing Wharfedale seconds on Halloween Saturday and the Ladies at Wensleydale on the Sunday.
Meanwhile Norths 2nd team are due to play Redcar Mariners at home on Saturday with a 2.15pm kick off.