Leos 5 v Pocklington 20

Leos were at home for the second successive weekend,with the first of numerous rearranged games and the visit of second placed Pocklington to Crag Lane.Pocklington are enjoying their best season for numerous years,having won 15 of their previous 16 league games,importanly half a dozen by a single score and only trail leaders Huddersfield YM because of scoring fewer bonus points.

After the physical encounter,in soft conditions with Hullensians the previous week,Leos made a number of changes with Liu coming onto the wing,Henry dropping back to full back and Wainwright returning at fly half.In the forwards Fforde and McIntosh replaced Freear and Forton respectively and it was encouraging to see both Chesters and Robinson return to the bench.

After the constant recent rain,the pitch was extremely soft,but otherwise playing conditions were very pleasant on a mild,still sunny day.The game opened with a series of scrums in the slippery conditions,before Pocklington were awarded the first of numerous penalties,when Lane effectively counter rucked,through the 'gate',only for the referee to rule differently,allowing Pocklington to take an early 0 - 3 lead,through the boot of full back Bennett.However,from the restart,the Leos forwards via Fforde,Connell and Barden recovered possession and quick hands from Wainwright and Winter,moved the ball left to Liu,who easilly stood up his opposite number,before rounding him on the outside,to score a lovely old fashioned try.Unfortunately,the conversion attempt hit the post.

The game then settled down into an attritional battle between the forwards,with Pocklington reverting to their controlled,effective pick and drive plays.Although they made little progress,they did starve Leos of possession,helped by being able to constantly seal possession,prior to the referee reaching the breakdown.Each side were winning their own set piece,with Debenham and Fforde again in good form at the lineout,Loughenbury and Levitt successfully nullifying the usually effective catch and drive of Pocklington,but the Pock scrum was steadier,allowing their scrum half to disrupt the Leos ball.

Pocklington enjoyed a 10 mins spell of pressure in the home 22,before their pack were held up over the line,with Lane and McIntosh getting under the ball.However,a solid scrum,set the platform for the No 8 to break and squeeze his way over the line,to give a score of 5 - 8 after 25 mins.Leos tried to play football,with strong runs from both Baker and Henry,but in the soft conditions little headway could be made,whilst a first half penalty count of 9 to 2 against,prevented Leos from sustaining any pressure.The first half ended,as it started,with a penalty to Pock,but this time the effort fell a little short.

Another missed penalty by Pocklington opened the second half,before sniping runs from Wood and Winter relieved some pressure.However a series of Pocklington scrums followed near the Leos line,requiring tenacious Leos defence and a magnificent Liu tackle in the corner,to keep the line intact.The Leos line speed was impressive and the back row didn't miss a tackle,but eventually pressure told and on 55mins a Pock forward,forced his way over from close range.Robinson replaced the hard working Loughenbury in the front row.

Clean lineout ball from Debenham allowed Leos to respond with a sweeping 70m threequarter move,ending with Pocklington touching down the chip ahead from the charging Henry.The referee waddled up the pitch to award a 5m scrum,from which Leos cleverly created a rare trying scoring oppourtunity,with a three on two overlap.Unfortunately,the Pocklington left winger,made the brave,or clever decision to go for the interception and rather than Leos scoring to give a 12 - 13 scoreline,he went the length of the field,to effectively settle the game at 5 - 20,with Bennett adding the conversion.

The balance of the game was played out in a torrid,midfield encounter,with neither side giving any ground.In a game played in good spirit,the only remaining incident of note,was a minor scuffle involving the forwards,the outcome of which was a sin binning for the respective captains,neither of whom were involved in the incident,because,according to the referee,they should take responsibility.Ironically,the game ended with a penalty to Leos,for Pocklington sealing the ball at the final breakdown.A deserved victory for Pocklington,who we congratulate on their likely promotion,but certainly the scoreline didn't reflect the competitiveness of the game.

On the B team pitch,the seconds enjoyed a comprehensive victory over Dinnington,whilst the thirds returned with success at Morley.In the Clubhouse,the referee listened intently to the analysis of the match assessor,with a second,or perhaps third helping of chips and tomato sauce on his ample lap,whilst the players enjoyed their carrot juice and watched the end of the England International on the big screen.

Elsewhere,a surprise win for Roundhegians,drops West Park Leeds into a relegation spot,whilst next week Leos travel around the Ring Road,to face form side,Yarnbury.
Report Peter Cooke
Leos scorer Try Neil Liu
Leos:Henry,Baker,Winter,Knibbs,Liu,Wainwright,Wood,Connell,McIntosh Loughenbury,Fforde, Debenham,Levitt Barden, Lane,Robinson,Chesters,
Bindloss