Saturday's match was a great contest, with both teams aspiring to win the North Midlands Cup. Both played with pace and passion, but the game turned in a three minute, two try burst by the home side early in the second half and the home defence repelled a last quarter barrage from Ross to move into the semi final.

Ross started the strongest playing into a gusting wind, they played high tempo possession rugby with every player taking his turn in probing the home team defence. Initially the Harbourne defence held firm but the intentsity and pace of Ross' attacks exposed cracks in Harbourne's defence. Twice Ross engineered overlaps on the right but Craig Boughton and Dave Green could not hold onto the scoring pass. Eddie Ruck found himself in space after some good approach work by Dan Field and Chay Brine but again could not hold onto the final pass. This was hard on Ross as they had dominated territory and possession and this was compounded in the second quarter as Harbourne moved a penalty into the Ross twenty two and from a driving lineout they scored putting them 7-0 ahead.

For the full story please see this week's Ross Gazette.