Leos 62 v West Leeds 26

After a really good performance but disappointing outcome last week at Skipton,Leos returned to Crag Lane for another local derby against West Leeds,who Leos had already beaten in a pre season Shield game.

West leeds arrived with optimism,as the previous week they had overcome Hullensians 53 - 39,in what their coach described as an 'enjoyable game of touch and pass'.They were however missing a couple of key players and travelled with a relatively young side.

Leos had Dowling,Fforde and Winter all making their seasons debuts,enabling Henry to drop back to his preferred position of full back.

Strange betting patterns were noted of Fforde being sin binned within the first 20 mins.!!!!More importantly,for the third straight week,not a single player dropped out after selection.Unheard of by Leos standards in years gone by,but a real testament to the spirit and commitment of the squad under coaches Greenwood and Worrall.

In glorious conditions,where thanks must again go to Young Ryan,Leos opened in fluid fashion,with the ball going through five phases,before Leos were held up over the line.West Leeds repeatedly cleared via the boot,but Baker took all the high balls and returned with interest via his trademark 'Figian' sidestep.

Enjoying almost continuous possession,Leos couldn't break the dogged defence and had to resort to the boot of Wainwright to open the scoring on 8mins.The game continued in the visitors 22m area,through the line out work of Lane and Fforde,until Henry,Wainwright and Liu handled with accuracy,to put the supporting Winter over for the first try,with the conversion added by Wainwright.

West Leeds really only had parity via their impressive front row,but nevertheless they scrambled in defence,.However,the defence had to eventually crack and after strong runs from Bardon,Chesters and Haslam,quick ball was secured,before Wood dummied to the left,dummied to the right and then took the easier option of running straight from 30m to score the second try on 28mins and a lead of 17 - 0.

From the kick off,the forwards and backs again combined,and orchestrated by Wainwright,Baker and Henry broke the first line of defence,before the supporting Bardon beat a further two players to score an outstanding try.Leos were enjoying almost complete possession and when the quick thinking Wainwright took a tap penalty,he had support on both sides from Dowling and Robinson,before being recycled to the powerful centre Knibbs,who proved unstoppable from 20m out.Yet another take up by Knibbs and an inside ball to Wood,who fed Baker who finished the move by busting two tackles.The respective Wainwrigh conversions gave a lead of 38 points after just 34mins.

James Haslam who had been in tremendous form in the leos back row injured his leg and was replaced on 35 minutes by JamesnDebenham.

To their credit,West Leeds never stopped trying and enjoyed their best spell of the game,camped on the Leos line for 5 mins,but Leos absorbed the pressure,without conceding penalties and then when the ball came loose,Henry cleverly changed the point of attack and quick hands from Winter put the electrifying Liu away for an eighty metre try and a half time lead of 43 - 0.

A breathtaking display of fast,open rugby,helped by secure ball from the forwards,combined with pace and power from the threequarters meant Leos had played one of their best halves of rugby for along time and it could easily have been nearer to 60 points!!,.Some people are never happy! Perhaps the long overnight trip back from Toulouse explained Coach Worralls demeanour,but at least his Rhino friends including Ian Kirke on the touch line were impressed.!!

When the second half opened in similar fashion,with clever line out work from Lane securing the ball,then Haslam and Baker combining to put Knibbs over for his second try on 42mins,it appeard that West Leeds had conceded.However,through the leadership of their captain,prop George,they showed renewed spirit and enthusiasm and when Leos conceded a cluster of penalties,George deservedly powered his way past two tackles to score the visitors first try.

The game became more competitive and with both sides making numerous substitutions,the visitors got a second try,when their young backs moved the ball quickly to their left,to put the winger in at the corner.

Understandably,the game became a little scrappy,until Leos regrouped for a few moments,when Dowling and Chesters drove in,before good line out ball from Debenham allowed the forwards to drive over,with McIntosh coming up with the ball.

The visitors had renewed spirit and with the revised scoring system of bonus points had something to play for,particularly on 70mins,when a speculative pass was intercepted,to give a scoreline of 55 - 19.The final Leos try came from another Chesters ball carry,with an inside ball to Wainwright,who scored unopposed under the sticks and he tagged on the conversion.

With the game drawing to a close,Wests were determined not to return home empty handed and when the ball was hacked forward over the line,they were the quickest to react,to achieve their bonus point and a final score of 62 - 26.

Leos scored 9 tries making it nineteen from two home games which has been magical to watch.

Next week at West Park will be a greater test as they have a strong set piece and direct running backs.Nevertheless,Leos move up to third in the table,behind Pocklington and Huddersfield YM,whilst Rishworthians and Yarnbury are at the other end.

Finally,it was good to see legendary Leos full back Nigel Dufton,back from Australia,at the game,together with the not quite so legendary Graham Snowdon!!.Some people thought Nigel was a better player than his predecessor W N Caplan,who ofcourse went on to play for England,whilst their coach,School Rugby Master Jim Collard,happilly remembered the days when School regularly defeated QEGS and Bradford by forty points.

The Leos squad celebrated in true style well into the night which was thoroughly deserved.

The supporters club man of the match was a tough call to make with so many fantastic performances. However this weeks award went to winger Stuart Baker who was in scintillating form
Leos Tries:Winter,Wainwright,Woods,Barden,Knibbsx2,Baker,Liu,MacIntosh Conversions :Wainwright X7 Penalties: Wainwright.
West Leeds Tries: George,Carruthersx2,Finn: Conversions Breakwellx3
Leos:Henry,Baker,Winter,Knibbs,Liu,Wainwright,Wood,Dowling,Forton,Robinson,Chesters,Fforde,Haslam,Barden,Lane,MacIntosh,Debenham,Bindloss
WestLeeds:Behan,Carruthers,Thompson,Neave,Thorpe,Breakwell,Booth,Robinson,George,Nutter,Finn,Carroll,Anderson,Maeer,Bird,Pendriss,Dale Breakwell.Cocin
Report by Peter Cooke