Leos 52 v Knottingley 7

Report by Peter Cooke

On the first autumnal day of the season Knottingley were the visitors to Crag Lane on saturday.Leos came into the game on the back of a 24 - 3 defeat at Hullensians,where a brave, under strength team put up a fine defensive show, before succumbing to a well organised home team.

There were half a dozen changes to the Leos side, whilst Knottingley,unfortunate to be relegated from Yorks 1 last season, came into the game after a mixed start to the season, finding themselves in mid table. Conditions were still and bright but a little soft under foot after the recent heavy rain.

Leos had the early initiative, with Ed Farmer just short with a long range penalty in the early moments, before Leos were pushed back onto their own line.However,a dominant scrum from the front five, allowed Richie Howells room at the base of the scrum. He drove through the defence, before off loading to Danny Thompson, who himself handed off a defender, accelerated into open space and comfortable rounded the full back, for an eighty metre try, with Ed Farmer adding the extras.

The visitors responded immediately down their left and it required good positioning from veteran Nick Burdon to relieve the danger. The home forwards were already making inroads and when the next break by Gareth Chesters was killed at the breakdown, Ed Farmer put Leos 10 points up in ten minutes.

For the first time in a number of years, Leos were controlling the forward battle against Knottingley and looked to attack from another dominant scrum.However,the Knottingley centre Eades read the play, intercepted and ran 50m to touch down under the sticks - 10 - 7.

With the scoreboard operator otherwise distracted, it seems that immediately from the kick off, Joe Newcombe did well to disrupt the attempted clearance, Richie Howells picked up the pieces, linked with Danny Thompson, who fed a delicious inside ball to Ed Farmer to score. Converting his own try, the ten point margin was immediately restored.

Living off scraps of possession,Knottingley again found space down their left and it took a crunching tackle from Rob Whatmuff, the former county threequarter,to prevent a potential try.Knottingley then enjoyed a period of possession, opting to keep the ball tight amongst their forwards but were able to make little impression on the structured home defence, regularly being driven backwards in the tackle by James Farad, Tim Fforde and Stu Baker.

With Leos again on the attack, James Henry attempted an ambitious cross field kick to Tim Sleight, of Kevin Sinfield proportions, which unfortunately was judged to have been marginally nudged forward. Ian Kirke on the touchline, helpfully pointed out where the duo had gone wrong.

However, Leos were now encamped on the Knottingley line. First James Farad took a strike against the head, then from a further scrum Chris Lewis was held up over the line, before from another dominant scrum, Richie Howells used both strength and footwork to force himself over the line. The Ed Farmer conversion gave a half time score of 24 - 7.

Coach Dan Hyde was unusually satisfied with the first half performance, whilst Knottingleys coach called for more commitment and determination. James Knibbs came on for Danny Thompson at half time.

Knottingley controlled the ball better at the start of the second half, without seriously threatening the home line, whilst both sides were brought back for marginally forward passes, adjudged by the referee, who was having a quiet but effective game.

Leos then scored a truly sensational try. James Henry attacked from the home 22,Tim Sleight handled twice or possibly three times, Tim Fforde somehow got himself involved, before the scoring pass was given to James Knibbs, who completed the Barbarian handling. Ed Farmer again added the extras to put Leos up by 31 - 7 on 46mins and seemingly knocked a little resistence out of the visitors.

Leos were however perhaps guilty of trying to play a little too much rugby and managed to squander a couple of gilt edged chances Dan Hyde, recovering from a slight knock, came on to replace Joe Newcombe and steady the ship, whilst Tom Knapp replaced a very effective Stuart Baker in the front row. The changes had the desired effect, as Leos scored another outstanding try. Gareth Chesters took clean lineout ball, Richard Bean and Ed Farmer broke from their own half, quick ball was again won at the break down, the ball was moved left, before being quickly transferred right, through the hands of Mark McDaid and James Knibbs,for skipper Chris Lewis to pop up on the outside and finish the move - 38 - 7,on 65mins.

Knottingley had their best period of the game, with their forwards battering the home line and it took good work from Nick Burdon, Tom Knapp and Chris Lewis to keep them out.However,when they tried to move the ball wide, strong midfield defence forced the ball free.Again,Leos swiftly changed the point of attack through Ed Farmer, Mark McDaid and James Knibbs to put Tim Sleight in the clear. He gloriously stepped outside his winger before cutting inside the full back for another amazing 80m try.

A similar effort ended the game, when Dan Hyde found himself in open space, he opted not to run the 60m and instead put through a pin point kick for Tim Sleight to run on to, he drew the full back, before generously handing on to Richie Howells to complete the move.

A virtually complete performance from an impressive home side. The forwards dominated possession, the halves distributed well, whilst the three quarters finished the moves. More of a team performance than down to individuals but Gareth Chesters took the man of the match for another 80mins of powerful, dynamic rugby.

Knottingley played in very good spirit and will be a different side at home, whilst prop S Berry (Bez, of yorkshirerugby.net notoriety), deservedly took a bottle of port, as their man of the match.

Elsewhere,Rishworthians pulled off the surprise of the round beating Salem, whilst next week's opponents Ripon,comfortably beat West Park.After a slow start to the season,Ripon have come good, since the addition of their new Australian fly half Ashley Rio.

Leos:Henry,Sleight,Thompson,Knibbs,Whatmuff.Farmer,Bean,Baker,Farad,
Lewis,Fforde,Chesters,Burdon,Newcombe,Howells,Knapp,Hyde,McDaid
Knottingley:Rawlanson,Belcher,Brown,Eades,Gates,S.RockettP Rockett,Morrison,Clark,Berry,Lund,Leadsbitter,Mereya,Bradley,
Worth,Brown,Hayter,Dickinson,