The visitors clawed, back the lead to move ahead in the last quarter, a Stef Shillingford consolation try at the death not enough to prevent Stour rueing another game where they failed to defend a lead. So they finish a disappointing 10th in National 2 North where they will kick-off their 2015-16 campaign in September.

Former captain Ben Hughes returned to the 2nd row for what was announced as his final game in club colours. He was joined in the starting lineup by loosehead Adam Sturdy, the only remaining member of the 2002-3 squad that featured guest-of-honour Paul Barker and DoR Neil Mitchell in the engine room. There were wholesale changes in the backs, Caolan Ryan having been recalled for Moseley’s trip to Jersey so Gary Dipple moved to outside half. Sione Tu’ipolotu returned at inside centre and Tom Jarvis reprised his usual role at fullback, Jacob Nash taking the starting scrum half slot with Toby Handley dropping to the bench. Stour kicked off with first use of a fresh South-Westerly breeze on a hard but well-grassed playing surface.

Both sides probed their opponents well-organised defences during the early exchanges, play largely confined to the middle of the park. The visitors conceded a penalty for holding on in the tackle, Dipple declining the kick at goal in favour of a short-range lineout. Tu’ipolotu drove up the middle, pulling in defenders and creating enough of a gap for Nigel Mukarati to blast through and score near the posts. 20min 7-0.

The game came to life. Harrogate hit straight back, running back a deep infield clearance kick, outside-half Callum Irvine breezing through some poor tackling to put centre James Morland in at the corner. 23min 7-7. Back came Stour, securing their lineout throw near halfway to set up a set of short drives before fullback Tom Jarvis created a linebreak sprinting on to an offload from flanker Eji Uzoigwe. His pass found winger Nathan Bressington with enough space to round the cover. 27min 14-7.

Harrogate secured loose ball at the restart but spilt it in possession, Uzoigwe hoofing it deep and Stef Shillingford’s chase pinning the visitors in their 22. They tried to run it out but a spilt pass was seized by 2nd row Ben Hughes who fed replacement scrum-half Toby Handley. He was tackled just short of the line but quick ball was worked to Dipple who put Mukarati in for his 2nd try. 32min 21-7. A penalty allowed Stour to kick again for the corner but the opportunity was blown with a knock-on at the lineout. Halftime 21-7.

An early 2nd half penalty gifted Irvine a kick at goal but he pushed it wide. Harrogate countered from the dropout, Irvine taking advantage of further shoddy tackling to skip through the defence to link with fullback Lewis Minkin who scored in the corner. 42min 21-12. Stour tightened up the defences to hold out the next set of attacks, but were finding the visitors hardworking defence difficult to break down. Their lead was further eroded when a defender drifted offside for Irvine to land a penalty kick. 54min 21-15. The visitors looked likely to strike again from the restart but Jarvis just managed to defuse a bouncing ball chased by Minkin. Harrogate couldn’t advance their maul from a catch & drive but a flat pass found winger Luke Edwards enough space to score in the corner and take the lead. 58min 21-22.

The replacement benches emptied, Stour pressed but were turned over and only an obstruction ruling deep in their 22 prevented another Harrogate try. Stour attacked again but still couldn’t breach the defences and a turnover found them back in their 22. The ball was ripped in the tackle, Irvine chipped over the defensive line and winger Sam Bottomley gathered to score. 70min 21-29.

Both sides upped the tempo, Harrogate started to ship penalties and Stour ran a succession of quick taps as the clock ran down, grinding their way ever closer to the visitors’ line but finding no way through. Harrogate secured a turnover and kicked clear, but in the final twist Stour worked lineout ball to midfield where Tu’ipolotu’s run drew the defence out of shape, his offload putting Shillingford clear to score. Full time 28-29.