Harrogate Pythons RUFC follow up opening-day win with rout of Old Rishworthian RUFC
Harrogate Pythons RUFC made it two wins in as many games this season as they followed up their opening-day victory with a 45-17 rout of Old Rishworthian.
The Starbeck outfit were spared relegation from Yorkshire One last term by a reshuffling of the English rugby pyramid, and have made the most of that reprieve, beginning the new campaign in fine style.
The away side struck first at the Jim Saynor Ground, kicking a second-minute penalty, but Jed Carr hit back almost immediately to level matters at 3-3.
Nick Bell and Luke Korba were then pulled down just short of the try-line before full-back Ben Pryor did make it over the try-line to put the Pythons ahead.
Saul Adshead and Jackson Hobson then combined before releasing speedster Bell, who this time beat the defence for pace on the outside to touch down in the corner, making it 13-3 on 15 minutes.
Two quick scores from Rishworthian enabled them to wrestle back the ascendancy and go 17-13 up, though ‘Gate responded before the interval, Hugh Tatlow taking a quick tap-penalty and diving over for Liam Kernoghan to convert.
Carr slotted two more penalties after half-time to stretch the home lead to 26-17, with scrum-half Kernoghan spotting a gap on the blind side to dart in and make it 31-17.
A dominant attacking scrum 10 metres out then provided the platform for Tatlow to pick up and power over for his second touchdown of the day, Carr converting.
The scoring was then rounded off following a driving maul, Sam Rowntree bullocking through the away defence before Carr added the extras.