Rugby Union: Harrogate caught cold by newly-promoted Hinckley

The visitors scored all their points before the break, and although Harrogate dominated the second half with Luke Edwards scoring a try and Charlie Morgan converting, it wasn’t enough.

Sheffield Tigers played some good rugby but lost out to Luctonians at home as they were beat 22-10.

In National One, Hull Ionians got the new season off to a winning start with a 16-10 victory at home to Darlington Mowden Park.

Isaac Green got them off the mark with a penalty after 16 minutes but the visitors soon took the lead as Santiago Socino’s try was converted by Caolan Ryan.

But Ionians started the second half strongly as Zak Poole ran in a try for Green to convert. Green added a penalty to his tally before Lee Millar sealed the points with a drop goal.

Ryan scored a penalty for the visitors in the final minute of play but the home side had done enough to take the win.

Elsewhere, Otley lost out 27-3 at Sale.

Doncaster Phoenix and Morley, both promoted from North One East, marked the start of their National Three North campaigns with clear wins.

Phoenix scored two tries to one at Castle Park in a 20-5 win over Firwood Waterloo, last season’s fourth placed side. Hull handed Kendal, last season’s North One West winners, their first home defeat for 12 months with a 20-15 verdict in National Three North.

Kendal opened with a try, but Hull pulled back a penalty by fly-half Tomasi Tanumi and took the lead when new winger James Watt raced over. Kendal regained the upper hand with tries in the 43rd and 66th minutes, but Hull flanker Danny Hague scored a catch and drive try which Tanumi converted.

Then, with the last play of the match and after further Kendal pressure, Hull broke out for prop George Thornton to crash over.

Elsewhere, Morley were 25-3 winners at home against Stockport, but Ilkley and Cleckheaton both lost out, Billingham winning 29-16 at Stacks Field while Cleckheaton went down 17-10 at home against Lymm.

Bradford and Bingley, last season’s runaway Yorkshire One winners, were held to a 17-17 draw in their opening North One East match at Durham City, salvaging the two points when centre Ali MacDonald scored in the 79th minutes and centre Schalk Oosthuizen converted.

But Malton and Norton, the other side promoted from Yorkshire One, went down 25-7 at Pocklington, who gained a four-try bonus when fly-half Joe Holbrough raced over for his second which, like the first, came from a pass from his brother Jack.

No 8 Ali Coe got a pushover try for Malton late in the first half, Ian Cooke converting. Driffield slipped up 17-5 at Morpeth.

Two tries by flanker Steve Leitch helped Dinnington to a 19-14 win over Wheatley Hills at Doncaster.

In Yorkshire One, promoted West Leeds ran in ten tries in a 66-14 home win over North Ribblesdale. Captain Sam Neave led by example with a hat-trick and winger Jack Marshall also ran in a treble.