Leos 22 v Yarnbury 16

Report by Peter Cook,
After two narrow defeats by 14-17 and 18-17,Leos welcomed near neighbours Yarnbury to Crag Lane.Selection was complicated by a member of the bar staff getting married down in Gloucestershire,so Ed Connell won the short straw to take the hooking role,Dave Barden and Robert Gamage formed the half back partnership,whilst James Farad,made his seasonal debut,becoming the 34th player to represent the first team in just seven games.Conditions were still,but very soft under foot.

The game started ominously for Leos,with Ed Connell remembering to push, but forgetting to strike,at the early scrums,giving the visitors early field position and allowing their big set of forwards to drive over after 8 mins for an early score.

The home side gradually worked their way back into the game,with the returningTim Sleight a threat down the left,linking with Peter Goodwin and Andy Walker,but being denied by an adjudged forward pass.Ed Connell began to grow into his new role,opting to hang out with the threequarters,before introducing a new rugby move,known as the 'show and slow'.The outrageous dummy,opened an enormous gap and with the try line some 40m away,he sensibly off loaded to the supporting Rob Gamage,who found touch.

Another scintillating run from Tim Sleight set up further field position, Lenny Lane took lineout ball from Stu Baker and Yarnbury were forced to concede a penalty,allowing Dave Barden to reduce the deficit to 3 - 5,with a well struck penalty on 28mins.

The best source of ball,was through the aggressive Leos defence,which resulted in turnover ball for the threequarters.The visitors were under pressure and opted for a high clearance from their 22.Chris Lewis,following the example of Ed Connell,was cleverly loitering on the half way line,when he found the spiralling ball heading his way.Using his medical skills,the prop plucked the ball from above his head,side stepped the fly half and accelerated away.The ball was quickly recycled and moved to the right via Richie Howells and James Farad.A chip ahead from Dave Barden,richoced into the welcoming arms of Danny Thompson,who rounded the defence,to give Leos an 8 - 5 lead on 34mins.Importantly Dave Barden added the extras,to give a half time score of 10 - 5.

Coach Matt Greenwood was pleased with his troops at half time and implored them to maintain their tenacity and spirit in the second forty minutes.The half started promisingly,with Mark Winter putting Tim Sleight into space,who gained 30m,before soft hands from the supporting Tom Bindloss found Robert Gamage,who surged the remaining 20m,for his first Leos try and a score of 15 - 5 on 44mins.

Yarnbury responded via their forwards and narrowed the gap to 15 - 8,with a penalty for off side on 47mins.They continued to exert pressure and brought success on 51mins,when a penalty to the corner,resulted in a catch and drive,with their forwards rumbling over,with the gap narrowed to just two points.

Yarnbury seemed to be gaining the upper hand and it took brave,resolute defence to keep them out.Robert Gamage and Lenny Lane led the impressive line speed, Gareth Chesters, Nick Freear and James Debenham all made crunching tackles,whilst the backs also made important tackles,with Mark McDaid upending his opposite number and Tom Bindloss stopping a forward twice his size in his tracks.

However,the pressure was to tell and Yarnbury nudged ahead on 73 mins,with another penalty.As Leos defended the final few minutes,it seemed they would suffer a third successive single score defeat.Heroic defence maintained their losing bonus point,as both Stu Baker and Chris Lewis made last ditched tackles,until Yarnbury moved the ball left,in search of a try.

Yet again,a storming midfield tackle by Gareth Chesters coughed up the ball to Danny Thompson on his own try line.With fear in his eyes,the former Yarnbury centre set off as the Leos version of Ian Kirke against Warrington in the Grand Final.With Ian shouting the loudest from the touchline, Danny Thompson steam rollered the first line of defenders on his charge.More defenders converged from the left of him and the right of him as he continued his gallop,before a body swerve evaded the final defender,as he collapsed under the sticks,to the thundering roars of the capacity crowd.A Dave Barden conversion,the final whistle and a score of 22 - 16.

A thrilling game,played in exceptionally good spirit by two equal teams,but perhaps their defensive qualities and extra flare,deservedly gave Leos victory.The tight nature of the league was shown elsewhere as Moortown edged out the Medics and Ripon and Roundhegians pipped West Park and West Leeds respectively.A strong forwards performance gave next weeks opponents Doncaster a win at Hullensians - the game is likely to take place on their first team pitch,as the Knights are away.

Leos scorers: Tries Thompson x2 Gamage Penalties Barden x2 Conversion Barden
Leos:
Bindloss,Goodwin,Winter,Thompson,Sleight,Gamage,Barden,Baker,Connell,
Lewis,Chesters,Debenham,Howells,Lane,Walker.Freear,Farad,McDaid.