Harrogate Pythons 1st XV travelled to Keighley RUFC for their penultimate fixture of the season. Keighley’s wide artificial pitch took its toll on Pythons’ players as well as the score board.
The game started at pace with Pythons Captain, Hugh Tatlow, celebrating his 150th cap with some huge tackles on the Keighley runners. Several phases pass with the home side retaining possession. They use their wide pitch well to create an overlap and round The Pythons’ defence. 7-0 on 15 mins. Tatlow gathers the ball from the kick off and sets on the home 22. Keighley conceded a penalty and Ollie Macnab finds the corner. Clean line out ball and The Pythons set up a drive towards the line. George Booth spots a gap and drives over the line from 3m. Ben Pryor with the extras to tie the score, 7-7 on 18 mins.
The game is then halted for 10 minutes whilst the referee has treatment following a collision with a home player. Luckily he’s fit to continue. The home side pile the pressure on through the mid field but knock the ball forward. Against the run of play, the home side win the ball against the head and crash over in the corner, 12-7 on 30mins. Tatlow is forced to leave the field for a pitch related injury and is replaced by his younger brother Fergus making his 1st team debut.
The home side score 2 more tries to advance the score to 24-7. Marcus Fotherby takes clean line out ball on half way. Harry Parrish, standing in at scrum half, makes a superb break through mid field racing 40m before releasing the ball to the supporting Rhys Cory to score under the posts, 24-12. Parrish leaves the field with a pitch related injury and is replaced by James Goddard. Keighley score again using the wide channels, 31-12, half time only to repeat a similar move at the start of the 2nd half, 38-12.
The ball is set up by Mattie Tuff, Booth and Tatlow just inside the Pythons half. Goddard whips the ball out to Pryor who puts in a perfectly weighted grubber kick for Nick Bell. Bell gathers the ball on half way and burns up the pitch to score next to the posts. Pryor with the extras, 38-19. Keighley have a virtually un opposed 10 minutes when they score 2 converted tries and are awarded a penalty try taking the score to 52-19.
The Pythons get back into their game and put the home side under pressure. Macnab intercepts a pass on half way and shows his pace to round the defence to score under the posts earning his team a try bonus point, Pryor with the conversion, 52-26. Keighley use their home advantage to score 3 more converted tries with the final score at 73-26.
After the game coach John Liley said, “ Pythons coped well against a buoyant Keighley side and came away with a 4 try bonus point as a reward for our efforts. We made another positive step forward in returning with a point, as in previous matches we have finished our games empty handed. It is an encouraging sign moving forward as we endeavour to always gain something from each fixture. It was always going to be a challenging fixture given that Keighley are a top 4 side and are a physical and abrasive side, so coming away with a point is a step in the right direction for us. We are now looking forward to finishing our season with another convincing performance at home in a fortnight’s time. Hopefully we can entertain our valuable supporters with a performance to be proud of to finish off what has been a very positive season for us”.
The Pythons remain safe in Yorkshire 1 in 8th place with 40 points, gaining ground on Wensleydale 43 points. With 11th place Leos coming to The JSG on April 5th and Dale visiting 2nd place Pocklington, Liley’s men have an opportunity to finish the season in a credible 7th place.
