Harrogate RUFC lose to fellow strugglers Sheffield Tigers RUFC by slenderest of margins

The Aces scored five tries in a thoroughly entertaining National Two North encounter, converting four of them – but it was the one kick they missed which cost them as they went down 34-33 at Rudding Lane.

Charlie Metcalf’s shot at goal following their fourth touchdown hit an upright and bounced to safety, meaning the Tigers would go on to finish victorious for the first time in 2024/25.

But, the losing bonus point that ‘Gate secured, combined with their four-try bonus point, keeps them above Saturday’s opponents in the table and just clear of the bottom two.

The Tigers broke the deadlock as early as the fifth minute when William Archer drove over for an unconverted try from a line-out.

‘Gate would however waste little time responding, Kristan Dobson crossing for Metcalf to convert just four minutes later.

Sheffield quickly hit back and, following a chip ahead in midfield that was caught and then passed right, James Norman touched down and Mark Ireland added the extras.

With just 17 minutes gone, ‘Gate re-took the lead having forced the Tigers to concede a goal-line drop-out. That spell of pressure ended with Charlie Head grabbing a try which Metcalf converted.

The hosts were penalised in the 27th minute for holding on, enabling Ireland to dissect the posts with a three-pointer that put the South Yorkshiremen back in front at 15-14.

Shortly afterwards, ‘Gate knocked on at a line-out five metres from their own try-line and, from the resulting scrum, Thomas Calladine crossed for Ireland to convert.

Leading 22-14 with five minutes remaining of the first half, Tigers won the restart from Calladine’s try, and took the ball all the way back to the Aces’ line.

However, the home side turned it over and Dobson ran 90 metres for his second try of the afternoon and Metcalf once again converted.

Tigers had an opportunity to extend their lead as time ran out at the end of the opening period, but the penalty attempt was missed, meaning the visitors took a slender 22-21 advantage into the break.

‘Gate made a couple of interchanges at half-time, with Junior Nuu coming on for his debut on the wing and this appeared to have the desired effect as they took the lead almost immediately.

Prop Jacob Percival scored their bonus-point try, but unfortunately for the hosts, Metcalf’s conversion attempt struck the woodwork.

Sheffield then scored a try in the 52nd minute through Louis Redfern-Brown, then another through William Baker, who forced himself over in the right-hand corner just after the hour-mark.

Although only one of these scores was converted by the boot of Ireland, the Tigers assumed a useful 34-26 lead with a quarter of an hour left to play.

Replacement hooker Steve Maycock did make it across the whitewash for Harrogate’s fifth try and Oli Toomey added the extra two to set up a grandstand finale with eight minutes remaining, though the visitors managed to hold out

Martyn Wood’s team have no game this weekend, but will return to action when they visit Hull Ionians on Saturday November 9 for a 2pm kick-off.