Leos 18 v Hullensians 18

Report by Peter Cooke

Leos entertained league leaders Hullensians on saturday.Playing resources were again stretched but Mark McDaid and James Henry returned to the three quarters and Richie Howells and Martin McIntosh to the forwards.

The players warmed up in weather of near Biblical proportions but the weather did settle a little just before kickoff but left standing water on the pitch and the visitors elected to play with the strong wind in the first half.

Hull took the lead on 6mins with a short range penalty by Jack Snowden but Leos struck back against the run of play, when an attempted clearance was charged down. James Knibbs reacted quickest, did exceptionally well to control the ball with his feet and won the footrace to the line, to put Leos 5 - 3 up on 12mins.

The visitors had the early edge at the scrum and when a ball squirted free from a Leos feed, Rob Harding did well to beat a defence on their heels and score to the left of the posts. The conversion by Jack Snowden put the visitors five points up on 17mins and this was extended on 26mins with a further penalty by Jack Snowden.

Hullensians used the wind well but Leos defended manfully and played the more enterprising rugby.Indeed,Leos were unlucky not to score late in the first half when Dan Hyde, James Henry, James Knibbs and Tim Sleight all combined but a cover tackle was made in the corner. An eight point deficit but Leos had the elements in the second half, with Si Dowling replacing Stuart Baker.

James Henry was short with a long range penalty attempt on 46mins but Ed Farmer was successful with a closer range attempt five minutes later. Leos were now enjoying field position, with the scrum stabilising and even some lineout ball won.

Pressure was being put on the Hullensians kickers and eventually this paid dividends, when a charge down by Ed Farmer, resulted in Richie Howells showing good strength to get over the line.Importantly,Ed Farmer added the difficult conversion to put Leos up at 15 - 13 on 57mins.EdFarmer extended the lead by three points a few minutes later.

The league leaders responded via their forwards and eventually gained field position through a couple of penalties. Their forwards drove at the line and finally Jack Snowden crawled over the line but the referee ruled he wasn't tackled and so awarded the try The conversion was missed, so 18points each, with 10mins remaining. Leos looked for the winning score but it wasn't to be and the referee blew for full time in the truly appalling conditions.

Probably a fair result and credit needs to go to all the players for producing a relatively entertaining game, played in good spirit, in the most trying of conditions. Credit too, to former player,Damian O'Hehir,who refereed the game sensibly and sympathetically and generally allowed the players to determine the outcome of the game.

Yarnbury won the other top four contest at Sheffield Medics,so Leos remain fourth in the table but only 10 points cover the top 8 sides. At the bottom, the relegation battle between Ripon and Knottingley was abandoned after some 61mins,with Ripon leading and there is now a debate on yorkshirerugby.com as to whether the result will stand.

The seconds travelled to Bradford and Bingley and were unlucky to lose to their higher ranked opponents. It was five all at half time, Leos lead 12 - 5 but eventually went down 24 - 19,whilst the thirds drew 10 each at Burley in another Merit Table fixture.

The firsts have no league fixture next Saturday but the seconds will be entertaining Keighley 2's,whilst the Clubhouse will also be screening the opening games in the Six Nations. Tony is laying on a number of real ales and a variety of hot and cold food. Next first team fixture is Knottingley away 8 Feb.

Leos:Henry,Sleight,Thompson,McDaid,Knibbs,Farmer,Tweedle,Lewis,
McIntosh,Baker,Connell,Howells,Simpson,Hyde,Lane,Burdon,Dowling,
O'Brien