HARROGATE put up a battling display at Henley before going down 36-24 in National Two.

The results probably means that Henley will finish second behind Penzance while Harrogate will face a battle to hold on to third spot from Bracknell and Esher.

The men from Claro Road won the try count 4-3 but the 21 points from the boot of home stand-off Reeves proved decisive.

He made Harrogate pay for their indiscipline as he knocked over four successive penalties in the first half.

With Reeves in the groove, Henley moved into a 16-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a try and Reeves' accurate kicking.

Eventually Harrogate got on the scoreboard when they produced a well-worked try in the corner for second row John Dudley after a catch and drive from a lineout.

Right winger Obi asserted Henley's authority with another converted try but, despite being reduced to 13 men following the sin-binning of Dudley and J Barker, Harrogate's 13 players fashioned a try for Peter Taylor.

In the second half, Harrogate responded to another Reeve penalty with a converted try by Kiwi winger Damian Warren. Despite trailing 26-17, Harrogate finished on a high note with a converted try by Lee Cholewa.

Updated: 09:51 Monday, March 17, 2003