Harrogate RUFC's slow start cost them dearly in crucial clash at Preston Grasshoppers RFC

Harrogate RUFC's National Two North survival hopes were dented badly by Saturday's loss to fellow strugglers Preston Grasshoppers. Picture: Gerard Binks

The Aces travelled to Lancashire second-from-bottom of the table and 13 points adrift of their hosts, who sit one place better off in 12th position.

Victory would have seen the men from Rudding Lane narrow that gap and, having played a game less than Preston, still in with a real chance of escaping the relegation zone before the end of the season.

But their loss at the weekend means that ‘Gate now face a huge uphill battle to beat the drop, with the Grasshoppers now 18 points clear with just five matches left to play this term.

And Wood says that it was a poor opening quarter which cost his troops in a fixture they really could not afford to lose.

"We just didn’t show up for the first 20 minutes,” he told the Harrogate Advertiser.

"We started poorly, they scored three tries, and after that we were always up against it and chasing the game.

"Credit to the boys though, because they showed some spirit and we actually played some decent stuff after that opening period. We got it back to 27-17 in the second half and and we were pushing hard.

"But, fair play to Preston, they were very clinical when it counted. Theirs is a tough place to go, they know how to play their 4G pitch, they used the wind well and our exit strategy in the first half with the wind against us wasn’t good enough.

"They probably just about edged it and deserved the win. We have to be honest and admit that we came up short in the end.”

A sixth-minute Jacob Browne try that was converted by William Hunt handed Preston a 7-0 lead before Rory Macnab’s penalty reduced the deficit.

Jake Maher and Alastair Murray then touched down for the Grasshoppers, with Hunt converting both and adding a penalty to leave the home side in full control at 24-3.

‘Gate got themselves back into the contest early in the second period when Jacob Percvial went over and Macnab converted.

A Hunt penalty then made it 27-10, though visiting captain Sam Brady crossed the whitewash for the fourth consecutive match to provide the Aces with renewed hope.

Macnab added the extra two for 27-17, with Wood’s men spending much of the final 10 minutes desperately trying to escape their own 22 and get upfield to try and salvage something from the game.

They were however stung once more right at the death as Ben Pearson added Preston’s bonus-point try, with Hunt again doing the honours with the boot to wrap things up.

Next up for Harrogate is a home clash with 11th-placed Huddersfield this Saturday, 3pm kick-off.