South secure win, taking them upto 50 points in the league

A well earned win against an Harrogate team whose performance belied their league position.
In the end South owed much to Rickie Aley's kicking and a hard tacking defence which contained a late rally from the visitors.

Within 5 minutes of the start Harrogate were awarded three penalties, fortunately only one kick produced three points. 3-0. Aley's boot levelled in the first his of scoring shots at goal. 3-3

Both teams were starting to move the ball at pace and some slick inter passing took Harrogate into South's half ending in a loose kick collected by Sam Smith whose high kick produced a penalty, Aley's kick found a good touch but the green and whites line out was well defended and the visitors cleared.

It was looking anyone's game at this stage and when Dale Ager was harshly yellow carded, it gave a chance for Harrogate to break the deadlock. Only it was South who did just that when Will Cave and Jacob Heath combined to force a penalty offence and although Aley narrowly missed his kick it led to a driving maul which produced another penalty, Aley making no mistake this time.6-3

Ironically with South back to full strength it was the visitors who scored the first try, as the home team pressured Harrogate in their 22 their centre picked up a loose ball, his pass found the full back who ran through and round some south tacklers to cross for a converted try HT 9-10

Within 6 minutes of the restart South hit back. Jacob Heath's long touch kick into Harrogate's 22 resulted in a South scrum, Aley released Will Cave who ran through an inviting gap to score, Aley adding the extra's 16-10. Aley soon kicked a further penalty 19-10.
The visitors were proving difficult to put away and soon scored an unconverted try 19-15 to set up a tense finish, only a tenacious defence saw South Leicester home for on balance a deserved win.

Mick McNeill