Leos clubhouse was packed to the rafters 2 hours before the match against Barnsley as Leos across the generations gathered for a truly special luncheon to celebrate and applaud Jim Collard our president of 27 years who is retiring at the end of the season.

Jim has been a truly magnificent leader and figurehead of Leos rugby and friends and colleagues gathered for what was a really magnificent occasion.

There were speeches from the president of yorkshire,past colleague Ian Briars, Paul Marshall who had flown in especially from france,Chris Hall who had driven up from wales.our past director of rugby,Roger Lamb had travelled from Nice, Dan Eddie who had made the trip from Cheltenham and then of course Jim himself.

a presentation was made to Jim by the president of Yorkshire and it was a luncheon that will always be remembered in recognition of a Jim.

So the season was set for the game and as expected the crowd was by far the biggest of the season as the teams prepared for the game.

Leos were full of confidence following last week's victory at Huddersfield ymca, but the coaching staff of greenwood and rook were anxious as the fitness of the team as less than 18 hours earlier most of the squad had been in Bolton to celebrate the wedding of prop ed Connell!!!

The back line showed one change from last week with James Knibbs returning from his vacation in Australia .In the pack Simon Dowling took over from Dave Robinson, Gareth Chester's started in the second row,Lenny Lane was back alongside Burdy and Dave Barden in the back row .

Barnsley were lying a couple of places below Leos in the league and were looking to inflict a league double over us having won the home fixture in December .Leos had improved significantly since that meeting and Barnsley new it!!

Barnsley kicked off into what was a strong wind and Leos immediately knocked on allowing Barnsley to exert initial pressure on Leos A couple of pick and drives by Hobson and Perry were defended resolutely by the Leos defence and at the turnover chilly wood fed matt freear who put in a 40 metre kick to allow Leos the chance to go on the offensive.

Chester's was at his best with 2 barn storming runs needing 3 Barnsley defenders to pull him down. Matt freear was looking to bring centres knibbsy and winter in o the game at every opportunity and with a good passage of play across the backs stu baker showed his normal great strength in nearly getting to the line before being bundled into touch.
Apple yard the opposing fly half looked a composed player and despite paying into the wind took some good options and gaunt in the centre looked threatening with ball in hand.

On 15 minutes Leos took the lead Following a scrum on the half way line the ball went left to Knibbsy who broke through the visitors defence the ball was popped indie to the supporting Dave Barden who flicked out the ball to winger Neil Liu who once more showed true pace in touching down 20 metres out from touch. Matt Freear converted Leos 7 Barnsley 0.

Leos were brimming with confidence and from the Barnsley restart the ball was gathered by Lenny lane who ran 30 metres ,he turned inside to chilly woods who took the ball on to the Barnsley 22 metres line and fed a superb ball to Mark Winter who outpaced the defence to score under the posts. Matt freear added the conversion. Leos 14 Barnsley 0

The visitors tried to stem the tide but the Leos were full of confidence with Nick Freears and Lenny Lane winning good line out ball and the pace of burdy,Lenny Lane and Dave Barden were causing real problems to Barnsley.
Barnsley could not cope with the Leos pressure and were penalised on 22 minutes for offside which allowed Matt Freear to add the penalty from 27 metres. Leos 17 Barnsley 0.

At this stage it was one way traffic and the backs were in scintillating form every time they had ball in hand with Bind loss creating overlaps for the majestic shills and footwork's of knibbsy and winter to shine backed by the strength of Stu Baker and speed of Neil Liu.

Leos increased the lead on 30 minutes when once more good interplay by backs and forwards allowed john Warwick to make ground passed the ball on to the supporting cheaters, who fed the ball out wide to knibbsy who passed inside to fly half Matt Freear who scored another great try under the posts. Matt Freear converted his own try Leos 24 Barnsley0.
For the remaining 5 minutes Barnsley defended their line and were relieved for the brief to blow for half time.
Leos kicked off the second half into the wind and Barnsley were hoping to utilise the elements to their advantage.

Apple yard at 19 made good ground and for the first time in the game allowed Barnsley to exert some real pressure.

On 47 minutes Leos won scrum ball on their 22 metres line chilly wood fed Matt Freear who's kick was charged down allowing gay to win the ball to the try line.Appleyard added the converstion.Leos 24 Barnsley 7.

Despite having the elements at their backs Leos were looking comfortable with Simon Dowling and McIntosh showing up well and allowing the evergreen Chester's to carve through the visitors defence.

On 65 minutes coach greenwood made substitutions with Burdy being replaced by James Haslam,lenny Lane who had taken a knock on the knee being replaced by James Debenhams and McIntosh who once more had showed up real y well being given a breather and replaced by Owen Beebs.

On 68 minutes Leos scores another truly magnificent try involving half the team over 60 metres. The ball was one firstly by Nick Freear who fed the backs, Matt Freear fed Knibbsy who split the defence charging up to and over the half way line passed to Mark Winter whose pace outshone the desperate defence to run fully 35 metres to score out wide on the right. Leos 32 Barnsley 7.

Barnsley never gave up and with 5 minutes remaining scores a consolation try by tingle who broke the Leos defence and scored from 15 metres with apple yard adding the conversion.

Final score Leos 32 Barnsley 14.

Leos had entertained the largest crowd of the season with some great rugby and gained a thoroughly deserved victory over Barnsley.

The man of the match award was between 4 players. Gareth Chester's who played his best game in a Leos jersey ,Fly half Matt Freear who contributed a try 3 conversions and 2 penalties and the 2 centres Knibbsy and Mark Winter.

Going forward both centres have great vision and flair and on their day are certainly one of the best pairings in what is a very string Yorkshire 2 division.Knibbsy had his hand in all four tries, whilst Winter scored 2 well taken tries and was always a danger whenever he had the ball. On a split decision the man of the match ward went to Mark Winter.

With only 3 league games remaining and the Yorkshire shield ties there would appear to ne now 4 Leos players in contention for the award. Tin Fforde,Lenny Lane, James Knibbs and Mark Winter.

The day will always be remembered as when Leos secures a resounding victory but more importantly as a day when Leos throughout the generation came to show appreciated respect and gratitude to outgoing president Jim Collard whose contribution to Leos ruby is immense and immeasurable.

scorers
Leos:Tries,Matt Frear,Neil Liu,Mark Winter x2 Conversions Matt Freear x3Penalties Matt Freear x 2
Barnsley TriesTingle,Grat Converstions Appleyard x2

Teams
Leos:Bindloss,Baker,Knibbs,Winter,Liu,MattFreear,Woods,Dowling,McIntosh,Warwick,Nick Freear,Chesters,Lane Burdon,Barden,Haslam,Debenham,Beeb

Barnsley:Smith,Starkey,Gaunt,Gray,Brunt,Appleyard,Peel,Pearson,Gregory,Hobson,Perry,Iles,Robinson,Wragg,Fletcher,Hatfield,Tingle,Rossi