Broadley hat-trick as Harrogate make light of pack problems

Caldy 25

Harrogate's first-choice props were unavailable so their plan was to try to compete as well as possible against the powerful Caldy pack and create enough good ball for their talented backs.

The plan worked brilliantly. Their front five more than held their own, the back row outplayed the opposition and the backs cut Caldy to shreds with sustained attacking play.

Outstanding scrum-half Tom Bugge soon combined with half-back partner Mike Aspinall to unleash the first of many dazzling back moves. Caldy conceded a penalty, Aspinall cross-kicked and hooker Steve Maycock scored in the opposite corner for Aspinall to convert.

Yorkshire stand-off Richard Vasey replied with a penalty but Aspinall dropped a goal before centre Jamie Broadley sparked and finished a move with a try.

Caldy had their best period of play and Jonathon Sewell drove over from a five-metre scrum. Vasey converted and Jack Parker's try levelled.

Harrogate went back in front just before the interval when more dazzling back play led to Broadley's second try and they quickly extended their lead from the restart when full-back Ed Smithies put Broadley into space. His run shredded the home defence and he gave winger James Rothwell a scoring pass to earn the bonus point.

Vasey kicked another penalty for Caldy but this seemed to spur Harrogate into raising their game still higher.

Another backs try seemed inevitable but it was Maycock who supported a quickly-taken penalty to score his second try. Centre Kyle Dench, who had excelled in defence, initiated the next try with a powerful run from his own 22. Broadley supported and scored his hat-trick from 30 metres by bursting through the defence. Rothwell then pounced on a Caldy fumble from the restart. He ran strongly to create space for Sam Bottomley to score. Caldy's. Dan Rowlands showed tremendous pace to score before Rothwell's try took Harrogate over 50 points.

Loughborough St 51

Hull Ionians 13

Hull Ionians were in the match for the first half with the score at 17-13 at the break but in the second Students' fitness levels saw them go up another gear to run in five more unanswered tries.

Hull Ionians controlled the early possession and were rewarded with a penalty but it went wide. After 10 minutes, Students finally got their hands on the ball and a fine midfield break saw flanker Matt Everard in support to score, Drake converting. On 20 minutes a turnover saw the Students attack again and full-back Craig Holland ran in.

James Ferguson then limped off and Ionians had academy half-backs Isaac Green and Simon Hammersley working well together. A break by Green and Sam Wilson put Gary Stephenson clear to score but the Students replied with a forwards drive touched down by prop Jerry Cunnew. To close the half, a break by Green with full pack support forced a penalty converted by Hammersley. Then, as Students attacked, Hammersley intercepted on his own 22 to race clear to score on his debut.

After the break, Ionians had their chances but could never retain the ball long enough and Students struck with tries from lock Matt Charles, scrum-half Russ Weir (2) Everard and Zimbabwe international Dante Mama. Drake added three conversions and a penalty.

Hull 9

Leicester Lions 17

Hull went down to a superior second-half performance from Leicester Lions to lose their opening game of 2011 at the Ferens Ground.

After a cagey opening 20 minutes, James Cameron scored a 25-metre penalty for Hull after a scrum offence.

Five minutes later, Jon Boden equalised after Ben Walker was impeded 20 metres out.

On 30 minutes, Hull re-took the lead when the Lions came in from the side and Cameron's penalty from halfway flew between the posts for a half-time lead.

Boden started the second half with a yellow card after tackling Sione Onesi in the air but five minutes later, Leicester went ahead through Tom Cheney from a close-range scrum and his try was converted by Adam Martin.

The game then opened up and an illegal challenge on Tevita Vaikona just after the Lions conversion saw Cameron land a 30-metre penalty to close the gap to a single point.

Cameron was replaced soon after due to injury and when Hull could have gone back ahead from a 15-metre penalty with 10 minutes remaining, Guy Martinson was off the mark.

Leicester then closed the match out with a strong run into the Hull 25 from replacement Lee Dyment before winger Scott Morris got the ball via a lucky bounce off a Hull defender and dived over in the right corner with Boden converting. James Kirk had another chance to get a bonus point for Hull with a penalty from halfway but the kick fell short and the referee blew for time.

Fylde 62

Morley 19

MORLEY'S first game since mid-November ended in a resounding defeat at the hands of third-placed Fylde.

Morley's return to action coincided with the making of history by the hosts as it was the first time in Fylde's 91-year existence that their starting line-up included five players capped by the Barbarians – Jason Robinson, Nick Royle, Paul Arnold, Sam Beaumont and his younger brother Josh.

The home side came out strongly in the first 20 minutes, piling the pressure on Morley and building a 19-0 lead.

However, Morley slowly found their way back into the game and grabbed a try of their own through full-back Chris Hall which left-winger Simon Bradshaw converted to reduce the arrears to 19-7.

Fylde roared back into life, though, and continued their scoring fluency to make the half-time score 38-7.

With the game well out of reach Morley were merely looking to restore some pride and produce a better second-half display.

They did so for the first 20 minutes, Michael Ash scoring two tries and Charlie Spon-Smith converting one.

At that stage, the visitors were winning the second half 12-5, though trailing 43-19 in total.

However, a lapse in concentration on the hour-mark allowed Fylde in for a soft try between the posts and the rot set in for Morley once again as the home team went on to run out 62-19 victors.

Morley host Westoe on Saturday.

Huddersfield's home game against Kendal was postponed.