Leos 49 v Baildon 3

Report by Peter Cooke

Leos welcomed newly promoted Baildon to Crag Lane,on another delightful afternoon,with the ground again looking in immaculate conition,thanks to the recent work of young Ryan. Baildon have had a difficult start to life in Yorks 2,with a trip to Hullensians but put in a much improved performance,last week,at home to Knottingley.

Leos produced a disappointing performance last week at Yarnbury but fielded a much stronger side on saturday,with James Knibbs and James Henry riding in on their Harley Davidsons from Highway 1,James Farad returning from his hunting,shooting and fishing expedition and Ed Connell from a thrilling audit seminar.There were also three slightly delayed debuts,with former Harrogate scrum half Richard Bean,joining ex Leeds Medics Sean Duffy and James Ackerman.

Leos opened confidently and when Sean Duffy was well tackled into touch at the corner,the referee returned for an off side under the sticks,for Ed Farmer to put Leos three points up in the early moments.

From the kick off,a late tackle on James Henry allowed Leos to kick to the corner. Clean lineout ball was won by Tim Fforde and Baildon did well to repel initial drives from Dan Hyde and James Farad, before the ball was switched to the left by Ed Farmer, James Henry joined the line at speed and proved too strong to stop in the corner.

Baildons young side began to settle and were willing to run the ball at every opportunity and were just short with a penalty opportunity on 10mins.However,their pack were already on the back foot and Leos were enjoying a surfeit of possession. A strike against the head was well used by Richard Bean, quick hands from Mark McDaid and Danny Thompson created space, Richie Howells drove straight, before Sean Duffy popped up on the left to make the extra man, for Tim Sleight to finish well - 13 - 0 after 17mins.

The Baildon halves of Nick Lister and Adam Falkner were a constant threat and when Richard Bean delayed a quick tap from their scrum half - a typical Q.E.G.S tactic - he was rightly binned,with the resultant penalty reducing the margin to 13 - 3.

There were however ominous signs in the forwards for Baildon ,with James Farad taking another strike against the head, Mark McDaid ran straight, before a powerful run by Stuart Baker made an additional 40m,quick hands from Danny Thompson found James Ackerman and the athletic lock crossed for his first Leos try. With Ed Farmers kicking reminiscent of Dave Barden at his best, the score remained 18 - 3.

Ed Connell and Gareth Chesters replaced Si Dowling and Lenny Lane respectively. The half ended with Leos on the attack but a lack of precision in the threequarters,together with determined defence prevented any further scores, whilst the game lost a little edge, when a second Baildon prop Nick Giles joined the injured Jamie Mitchell went off injured, to produce uncontested scrums for the remainder of the game which was a major relief to the visitors who were being well outplayed in this area..

Playing with the slight breeze in the second half, Leos immediately went on the attack. More clean lineout ball allowed direct running from Danny Thompson, support from Gareth Chesters and James Akman breached the first line of defence, before the ball was swept by Ed Farmer to the left, with Tim Sleight beating his opposite number, to score a classic try in the corner.23 - 3 on 43mins and the try bonus point secured.

To their credit,Baildon continued to try and run the ball, even from their own half but the Leos line speed was impressive and when the visitors resorted to the boot, a kick was charged down by Danny Thompson, Lenny Lane scooped up the loose ball and ran fully 40m,to score under the sticks. Ed Farmer added the extras for 30 - 3.

With the game won, Leos began to over elaborate but when they went back to basics, props Si Dowling and Ed Connell combined, Dan Hyde secured quick ball, Richard Bean dummied at the base of the ruck and made 20m,beforeEd Farmer switched the ball to the right, when again James Henry proved too quick and strong to stop, with Ed Farmer finding his kicking boots, to add a fine conversion.

Leos began to play some exhibition rugby, with Dan Hyde and Lenny Lane proving difficult to stop, James Knibbs was enjoying the physicality, before a delightful short ball from Richard Bean put the direct running style of Gareth Chesters into space and the final defender made the pragmatic decision to allow the fearsome forward to round him from 30m - 44 - 3,on 72mins.

Perhaps the best try, Leos eighth, was saved for last, when the ball was picked up on their own line, Ed Farmer made the initial break, Danny Thompson in support handed off a covering defender, before an Ian Kirke offload was taken by Sean Duffy, who finished the sensational 90m move.

A comfortable win for Leos against a determined and spirited Baildon side, who are sure to pick up victories, particularly at home. Lenny Lane picked up the Leos man of the match award but there were a number of other impressive performances, whilst the game was well controlled by the amiable Driffield referee.

The highly competitive nature of Yorks 2 rugby was demonstrated with Moortowns victory over Yarnbury and Hegians defeat of West Leeds.At this early stage,the win moves Leos up to fourth in the table,level on points with next week's opponents Barnsley,who have also won two of their three games.
Leos:Henry,Sleight,McDaid,Thompson,Duffy,Farmer,Bean,Dowliong,
Farad,Baker,Fforde,Ackerman,Lane,Howells,Hyde,Knibbs,ConnellChesters.
BaildonRobinson,Waddingham,Huss,Lister,Hargreaves,Lister,Falkner
,Giles,Taberner,Mitchell,Cox,Peel,Craven,Pickngo,McGee,Wilson,Massey,Parker