Leos travelled to Knottingley via coach to take on a resurgent home side who are currently lying 3rd place in the league. Leos were looking to make amends for the narrow home loss earlier in the season when Knottingley gained victory in the dying seconds of the game in what was a pulsating encounter by 28-30.

Following last week's home victory against Pocklington, Leos had Neil Liu returning on the wing, John Warwick returned to prop following a neck injury for the unavailable Ed Connell, Gareth Chester's continued in the engine room alongside Nick Freear and with Tim Ffforde on babysitting duty, it allowed Lenny Lane to return at number 8 alongside James Haslam and Burdy.

The Knottingley pitch is small and narrow in stark contrast to the wide open spaces at crag lane.

The early exchanges were hard and robust with both defences putting in some earlier challenges and it was Knottingley who took the lead on 5 minutes when Mr Andy Crossan the ref from the east midlannds judged the leos pack offside and hopton converted from 25 metres out.Knottingley 3 Leos 0

Leos went straight back on the attack and following good line out ball from Nick Freear the ball was passed through half backs chilly wood and Matt Freear to centre James Knibbs who wrong footed the Knottingley defence and charged from the 22 metres line to score a good individual try .Matt Freear missed the converstion.Knottingley 3 Leos 5.

It was then Knottingley turn to go on the offensive with Turton and Rockett kicking well to the corners and on 12 minutes Knottingley through Hopton converted a penalty from 30 metres after a Leos forward infringement.Knottingley 6 Leos 5.

Both sides were looking to move the ball out wide but it was Leos who were looking the more dangerous and were winning more ball through a rock solid front row of Robinson Macca and Warwick. McIntosh stole one against the head which saw good pair of hands across the backs by Matt Freear Knibbsy and the Mark Winter who sliced through the Knott defence only to be upended by Turton who was given 10 minutes in the sin bin.

Leos held the ascendancy but Knotting leys defence was solid with ex Morley Sonya showing up well. However the pressure eventually told as with the Knott pack in retreat Leos were awarded a penalty on 39 minutes and Matt Freear calmly converted from 34 metres to give Leos the lead at half time.Knottingley 6 Leos 8.

Leos coaching staff of Greenwood and Rooke were encouraged by the first half performance but knew what the Knott game plan was to be in the next half.

The next 15 minutes was a game of defences with both packs making good yardage when they had the ball in hand.Lenny Lane was causing the home side some trouble at the back of the line and James Haslam was back to his best form.

On 60 minutes indiscipline cost Leos the lead when a handling on the ground infringement allowed Hopton to kick a well judged penalty from 36 metres .Knottingley 9 Leos 8

Leos introduced a couple of substitutions with Dave Barden replacing skipper Burdy and Stuart Baker coming onto the wing for Mark McDaid.

Leos once more produced some good attacking rugby with Stu Baker running well and the ball was then Passed to knibbsy who showed good pace down the wing but the Knott defence held firm

The next 10 minutes effectively changed the game when on 68 minutes Nick Freear was given a yellow card and 10 minutes in the sin bin for what the ref judged was an illegal challenge resulting in Hopton kicking the penalty.Knottingley 12 Leos 8

If that was not bad enough 2 minutes later with Leos on the offensive the ref then gave James Haslam a yellow card for a late tackle on number 10 turton.Leos were down to 13 men and with a 2 man advantage Knottingley took full advantage

On 72 minutes Hopton kicked a well judged penalty from 30 metres to increase the home sides lead.Knottingley 15 Leos 8

Leos were still in the game and the 6 man scrum with adrenalin flowing, miraculously took another ball against the head with macca having his best game in a Leos jersey.

Knottingley had the last word and on 79 minutes created an overlap to allow brown to score a well taken try in the corner.Hopton kicked a superb converstion.Knottingley 22 Leos 8

Despite the loss there were many positives from Leos display. The game was generally played in good spirit between two well organised sides once more demonstrating the quality of Yorkshire division 2 rugby.

Leos man of the match award was a choice between James Knibbs who scored a great individual try and was a threat to Knott every time he had ball in hand. James Haslam who was in the thick of the action and put the Knott half backs under pressure and the solid performance of Martin McIntosh who stole 3 strikes against the head threw in well at the line out and who was in the heart of the forward exchanges. The panel awarded the man of the match this week to hooker Martin McIntosh .

Scorers
Leos: Try Knibbs
Penalty Matt Freear

Knottingley: Try Brown
Conversion Hopton
Penalties Hopton x 5

Teams
Leos: Bindloss,Baker,Knibbs,Winter,Lui,McDaid,MattFreear,Wood,Warwick,McIntosh,Robinson,Nick Freear,Chester,Burdon,Barden,Lane,Haslam,litherland

Knottingley:P Rockett.Brown,Rawlandson,Burnett,Simpson,Turton S Rockett,Berry,Bradley,Morrison,Chippendale,Lund,Walsh,Leadbitter,Hopton,Sonya,Woolley