Seasonal affective disorder is a condition that occurs in many people and is particularly prevalent at this time of year. It can be seriously debilitating for some people.
I am not making light of it, however, if like for me, it tends to disrupt sleep patterns and leaves you laid awake in the early hours, I would recommend you watch a copy of the match video for a guarantee of a return to peaceful slumber.
Some of the other effects of SAD are lethargy, a feeling of worthlessness and a lack of concentration… where was I? Oh, yes, it is apparent that there are many other sufferers and a good number were on the pitch.
It was a poor game, played on a dreary afternoon, officiated by a pedant. Ionians scaped home by a two point margin, Lewis Minikin had one more success off the tee than the Harrogate kickers, after both sides had crossed the try-line three times apiece.
Harrogate took an early lead when Charlie Metcalf punished the hosts for holding on at the break down. Metcalf double the advantage soon after; a powerful burst from the big ‘gate second-row caught Ionians flat and they conceded a penalty for going in off their feet as they scrabbled to prevent the visitors making greater headway. It was an easy three points for the Harrogate full-back.
It took nearly twenty minutes before the home side put together any meaningful possession and pressure. They worked up to the Harrogate 22 and put a penalty to touch. A good catch and drive was held by the opposition pack but Sam Pocklington, one of the few not affected by the malaise, nipped down the blind-side and squirmed his way over the line. Minikin struck well to add the conversion and put Ionians narrowly in front.
It took a further ten minutes for the scoreboard to tick over again. Minikin struck a long-range penalty from in front of the posts to put the home side 10 – 6 in the lead.
The advantage didn’t last long. Harrogate caught the re-start and a pass picked out Kristan Dobson on a beautifully judged angle and he was clean through, like a knife through butter, to streak away to the line. Metcalf goaled from off the touchline to snatch back the lead.
Minikin brought things all square with another penalty from distance five minutes from the break, before a George Mewburn try and Minikin conversion closed the half, Ionians 7 points to the good.
I missed the try because I was engaged in a protracted and occasionally heated discussion about the club’s dog policy with an argumentative woman and her son (if young Evison is half as purposeful on the pitch as he is off it, he could make something. Hopefully Willingham jr. will let us know).
Having just said to my far touch chums that even George Mewburn, who has been in a rich vein of form in recent weeks, was looking lack lustre, he promptly proved me wrong by grabbing the ball and haring 50 yards up the middle of the field. He slung a good pass out to Will Yates who was almost decapitated as he ploughed his way to the line. Minikin was unable to cap his 150th appearance for the club with a 100% kicking success rate but Ionians had established a 12 point lead, 25 – 13.
This was an hour into a game lacking in quality and punctuated by any number of penalties for dangerous tackles (some more obvious than others), but the most flagrant offence of the afternoon, the afore mentioned attempted beheading of Yates, passed without notice and certainly without sanction by the officials.
Whether Ionians thought they had done enough to win or the visitors were better than they looked, it was Harrogate who dominated the remaining quarter of the match.
Wingman, Kodie Brooke, bagged a brace. His first was the result of perseverance from his forwards that dragged in the defence as they laid siege on the Ionians line, leaving Brooke clear on the touchline to take a pass and canter over.
His second try came in the final throes as Harrogate pushed for a win that nobody could sensibly have begrudged them. Ionians played out the final 10 minutes with Callum Sanderson in the bin. Sanderson had put on an industrious performance and was sorely missed in the closing stages.
Pressure from the visitors, driven on by the direct running of Nuu Nuu and Tokaduadua, finally created the chance for Brooke to slide in at the corner, inexactly the same spot as he had scored in earlier. Neither Metcalf or Rory McNab were able to nail the difficult kicks the tries presented, by such narrow margins games are won and lost.
Archie Upton had a lively start to his loan period from Doncaster and the introduction of Kobby Fofie brought more dynamism to Ionians at the breakdown, but Ionians need a week in front of a lightbox if Abbeydale Park isn’t going to bring more sleepless nights.