Lymm 10 Harrogate 3

ADAM Fletcher expressed pride in his Lymm side for bouncing back from last week’s disappointment at Preston Grasshoppers in the best possible way.

Sam Mullarkey scored the only try of the game at Crouchley Lane, with Cormac Nolan kicking a conversion and a penalty for the hosts.

The result, their 10th win from 12 league games, keeps Lymm second in the Northern Premier.

“I’m really proud of how the boys reacted to the disappointment of the Preston game and ground out the victory,” Fletcher said.

“We showed a different side to our game. Our normal fluent attack play was stifled by Harrogate’s aggressive defence and work at the breakdown.

“We had to show patience, kick the ball more than we normally do and back our defence to force mistakes deep in their territory.”

Lymm started well and their pressure eventually forced a penalty midway through the first half, with Nolan making no mistake.

However, Harrogate replied in kind just five minutes later and, as the rain started to come down, conditions became extremely tricky.

The score remained 3-3 until 10 minutes from time when Mullarkey picked a superb line to cross between the posts, leaving Nolan with an easy conversion.

Lymm make the trip to sixth-placed Ilkley on Saturday, kick off 2.15pm.

Lymm: Gavin Woods, Adam Bray, Dan Horton, Joe Watson, Matty Connelly, Jake Ashall, Ali Sutherland, Sam Mullarkey; Andy Davies, Scott Redfern; Joe Denman, James Kimber, Tom Bray, Richard McEvoy, Cormac Nolan. Subs: Matty Hand, Aaron Rasheed, Richard Halford.

Preston Grasshoppers 2nd 15 Lymm 2nd 55

LYMM’S seconds continued along their merry way with an ultimately convincing away win.

Ollie Thornton, Tom Baker and Nat Johnstone all bagged braces, with further efforts coming from Josh Hamer, James Robinson and James Lewis.

Lymm welcome their Rossendale counterparts to Crouchley Lane on Saturday.

Lymm: Tom Coon, James Pitcher, David Coon, Ollie Thornton, Henry Baldwin, Nat Johnstone, James Lewis, Ben Rees; Tom Baker, Rhys Jones; Josh Hamer, Josh Davies, James Robinson, Jorge Reynolds, Tom Shard. Sub: Jake Davies.