SKIPTON'S penultimate game of the Yorkshire Three season came to a premature end eight minutes from time, following a serious injury to forward Edward Harrison.

The young second-row, at the weekend starting at Number eight, sustained a broken leg in a late period of pressure by Skipton on the Pythons' line and the referee and team captains agreed to bring the game to an end.

Skipton had started strongly against the league leaders, putting the ball through many phases of play, but this was always going to be a tough game for the visitors.

Two early penalties saw the home side tap and run the ball in for the opening points of the afternoon. Skipton prop Steve Carroll then picked up a yellow card, leaving Skipton a man down early in the game.

Skipton were adjudged to have carried the ball over their own line and the Pythons were in for try number two from the five-metre scrum. Skipton were fearless in defence, putting their bodies on the line, but were outpaced by the Pythons' back line and four more tries resulted before half-time, giving the Pythons a 38-0 lead at the break.

Sustained pressure from the Pythons gave them their seventh try of the afternoon.

Skipton gained a penalty into the corner from the re-start and set up a rolling maul from the line-out. An infringement on the Pythons' line gave the home side the put-in. The Skipton pack took the scrum against the head but the Pythons' defence held, denying Skipton any points.

Harrison returned to the field for Skipton after being taken off at the break, but skipper Hamish Munro picked up a yellow card and Skipton were back down to 14 men. The Pythons pressed home the advantage and were over for their eighth try of the game.

Harrison was brought down in the next move and it was immediately obvious that the injury was serious. The captains and referee agreed to end the game at 50-0 to the Pythons.

Skipton are at home to Old Otliensians on the 23 April for the last game of the season.