BIG-SPENDING promotion favourites Orrell, like league leaders Plymouth Albion before them, were given a fright before leaving Claro Road with a 29-21 victory.

The home side showed sterling defensive qualities against wave after wave of Orrell attacks and with a little more self-belief and better ball retention - turnover ball has been a problem most of the season - they might just have won a hard-fought and absorbing game.

But in they end they had to give best to an Orrell side which had the greater pace and awareness and which had an outstanding back row with number eight Nick Easter - just as he had been at Edge Hall Road a month ago - a constant threat.

He opened the scoring after only five minutes and, when England 'A' stand-off Phil Jones tacked on a penalty nine minutes later, Orrell were well on top. After a Lee Cholewa penalty had pulled three points back, the Orrell backs showed their class, transferring the ball along the line at pace for full-back Wes Davies, grandson of rugby league legend Billy Boston, to find himself on the end of a huge overlap.

But with the wind behind them in the second half, Harrogate, despite losing lock Peter Taylor with a recurrence of an ankle injury, began to chip away at the lead.

Cholewa slotted two more penalties and if he had not missed a third and a drop-goal attempt - both eminently kickable - the gap would have been down to a single point. But then referee David Sainsbury ignored what looked like a double knock-on and allowed Orrell left wing Neil Kerefoot to speed in for a try which Jones converted.

Orrell must have thought it was all over but Harrogate refused to let their heads drop and a break by Graeme Sarjeant saw Matt Duncombe cross under the posts for Cholewa to convert. And after a Jones penalty, they stormed back again to score their second try with what was perhaps the game's best move.

It was sparked by a smart break from scrum-half Rhys Morgan and was carried on by Mark Farrar. When he was held by the cover, flanker Steve Hobson kept the ball alive and Oliver Cook, on for Taylor, got the touchdown.

The try renewed home hopes of a shock result but injury time was already ebbing away.

Harrogate will now have to go to relegated Preston in search of the two points which will clinch their highest-ever finish in National League Two.

York and Selby were without games on Saturday.

Updated: 11:52 Monday, April 01, 2002