As good as it gets
REVENGE was sweet as Market Harborough beat high-flying visitors Peterborough Lions 25-22 in as good a spectacle as fans at Northampton Road have witnessed in recent years.
The clash was physical, hardfought, had seven tries, saw the lead change hands five times and oozed tension right to the end.
Lions outscored Harborough four tries to three – but Ed Bale was on top kicking form and the visitors played for 20 minutes with 14 men, factors that ultimately made the difference.
Having been thrashed by Lions by 50 points last October, Harborough were out for revenge and kept them pegged back for most of the first quarter to lead 3-0.
Lions got the first of their yellow cards – but, down to 14 men, fought back when their winger beat Will Taylor to the touchdown.
Harborough capitalised on their man advantage with a penalty try, but Lions are not top of the league by accident and they struck back immediately to make it all 10-all at the break.
Lions were first to score in the second half before losing another player to a yellow card as tempers frayed. Bale slotted the penalty and then his side made the numbers advantage count again when the influential Michael Woodford touched down and Bale converted.
Lions struck back yet again, going ahead with a converted try six minutes from time, but with just three minutes left Taylor, Rory Jeacock and Richard Durose combined beautifully to put Bale over in the corner for the winning score.
Harborough teams for this Saturday:
1st (league, away v Wellingborough, meet 12.15pm, ko 2.15) - T Lee, A French, M Sneath, J Baird, D Hall, D Carter, S Morris, M Woodford, D Bailey, D Yeow, C Standley, P Percival, R Jeacock, T Bale, R Durose, Ta Naylor, J Grant, L Riordan.
2nd (pool fixture) - B Johnson, G Lee, S Blades, N Watson, J Lee, E Prowse, B Costello, H Hollis, A Blatchly, R Forster, To Naylor, D Peart, C Smith, D Broughton, H Davies, J Welch, E Sanderson, C Thompson, O Raymond.
3rd (home friendly v Northampton BBOB, meet 1, ko 2.15) - squad G Carter, M Alcorn, J Blades, C Brown, A Lyle, D Saunders, R Charlesworth, B Lawniczak, B Saunders, P Goff, A Ball, B Jones, L Key, L McCall, S Pozerskis, G Rice, N Abbott, D MacDougal, T Youngs, R Gray, J Allsopp, N Towers, T Bamford, T Sandercock, T Nichols, R Dunnicliffe, R Palmer.
The Veterans are home to Kettering Vets (ko 2.15); the Colts are home in National Cup to Wolves Colts (ko 2.15).
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Harborough
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.