Leicester Forest 8 – 33 Market Harborough

Harborough re-discovered the winning formula with a comfortable if not always coherent victory over a game Leicester Forest side. An early penalty by Billy Blair gave Harborough a deserved lead but this was quickly cancelled out when the home team kicker converted a long range penalty from near the half way line.

 Harborough were clearly intent upon playing a more expansive game. The strong running of Michael Woodford continually made inroads into the Forest defence and with the supporting forwards quickly in support the Harborough backs enjoyed plenty of possession, Wing Rory Jeacock enjoyed a fine first half and constantly threatened to run clear but, to their credit, the home team always managed to stifle these attacks.

Although Harborough were not able to field a first choice front row the scrum more than held it’s own with Richard Palmer demonstrating that his scrummaging prowess is undiminished despite his absence from the first team for several seasons.

Midway through the half a period of Harborough pressure finally brought reward when scrum half Dan Bailey squeezed through the defensive line for his team’s first try. Although Forest rarely looked likely to threaten the Harborough try line they might well have added further points had their goal kicker not missed two easier chances than the one he did convert.  Harborough continued to play with a lot of commitment and were rewarded with a second try when the outstanding Michael Goode charged down a clearance kick and was then impeded as he attempted to reach the ball to touch down for a try. Even before the watching supporters could voice their opinions the young referee awarded a penalty try giving Blair the easiest of conversions from in front of the posts.

 As half time approached Harborough held a 15-3 lead and with the slope and the breeze in their favour in the second half they were the likely winners.

Harborough made the worst possible start to the second half as they were forced back onto their own goal line and then conceded a try after some less than convincing defending. Although Harborough continued to play with a lot of commitment they struggled to put moves together and it was all too often left to individuals to make inroads into the home team defence.

Woodford and Goode continued to be prominent as ball carriers and with fly half Blair also playing well Forest were pinned in their own half for long periods. Harborough added to their score after a dash by Ed Bale had punctured the home team defence and  two quick passes later Bailey claimed  his second try.

The introduction of replacement Dave Docherty gave new impetus to Harborough’s play at the breakdown and he was involved twice in the move which ended with a sublime dummy followed by a sprint for the line by Goode for a try which his outstanding performance merited.

Forest’s hopes of reducing the gap were raised when a long pass from Blair was intercepted by a home team back who, with only 80 metres to run (!), only had to keep ahead of the chasing Harborough players. To his credit Blair managed to scramble back to tackle the ball carrier just metres from the try line and so prevented the try.

Harborough added a final score after  the forwards combined well and with the home team defence disorganised  Ben Pain was on hand to earn the touchdown.

With both 3^rd and 4^th placed teams both falling to surprise defeats the door is wide open for Harborough to gain at least 2^nd place in the league and so earn a play off for promotion into Midlands 1.