Harrogate moved up to fourth in National League Two with a convincing 38-8 victory at Rugby.

The Harrogate pack dominated the Rugby forwards and scored four of their side's six tries.

Second-row Paul Clarke was first on the scoresheet as he finished off a catch and drive from a lineout in the first two minutes.

The first-half points tally accumulated at the rate of a point a minute as flanker Hobson collected the next try from a similar move for Cholewa to convert.

Hooker Mark Erven then scored the first of his two tries, following on from the four he scored in last week's match.

Rugby were now under continuous pressure and when they failed to find touch, good work by centre Matt Duncombe set up a try for Cholewa, which he converted himself.

Cholewa then converted Erven's second try to make the score 29-0.

The first-half injury time brought a penalty for Rugby fly-half Bowden and a try for their flanker Facer.

This frenetic few minutes also saw Harrogate score again as scrum-half Rhys Morgan opened up the Rugby defence with a well-placed grubber kick and as he followed up he was tackled without the ball and awarded a penalty try.

With a comfortable half-time lead, Harrogate brought on all four

replacements but, with Rugby's play improving, neither side were able to add to their scores in the second half.

Harrogate face a sterner test next Saturday when they travel to Worcester in the second round of the Powergen Cup.

Updated: 11:58 Monday, September 29, 2003