Relegation-threatened Harrogate RUFC's fate out of their hands following defeat to Leeds Tykes RUFC
Harrogate RUFC have a real task on their hands to avoid relegation from National Two North following a disastrous penultimate weekend of the 2024/25 season.
The Aces themselves came away empty-handed from Friday night’s trip to champions Leeds Tykes, while the two sides who were beneath them in the table both recorded bonus-point victories.
As a result, Martyn Wood’s team slipped to the foot of the table and now sit two points from safety with just one game left to play this term.
‘Gate can still escape the drop zone, but they have to beat fellow strugglers Billingham on the final day while scoring a four-try bonus point and ensuring that their visitors finish the game empty-handed.
Alternatively, if they can’t prevent Billingham from bagging a bonus point but do still manage to emerge victorious from that game, they will be reliant on one of Preston Grasshoppers or Hull failing to win.
Harrogate did get off to a fine start against Leeds, taking a 7-0 lead in the sixth minute as Rory Macnab converted number eight Will Hill’s try.
But, Seremaia Turagabeci touched down and added the extras himself to level the scores within five minutes before Adam Brown’s score just after the half-hour edged the home side ahead.
Brown crossed again early in the second period, with Turagabeci converting to make it 19-7, leaving the Aces with work to do.
Things got even worse for ‘Gate when Turagabeci went over for his second try shortly before Kit Keith, a product of the visitors’ junior section, did likewise.
Trailing 31-7, Wood’s men finished strongly and centre Kodie Brook touched down twice in the last four minutes to narrow the gap to 31-17.
On Saturday, Hull came back from 22-3 down to beat Tynedale 29-22, while Billingham overturned a 15-0 deficit to edge out Sheffield Tigers 31-28.
Those results saw the bottom two sides heading into round 23 of the campaign climb above Harrogate, with the only good news coming in the shape of Preston Grasshoppers’ home loss to Lymm.
Indeed, the fact that Preston took just a single point from that game leaves them second-from-bottom of the pile and keeps them within the Aces’ reach.