Flat Leo’s Fall Short

Not only did he assemble 15 players, not necessarily covering all critical positions, but he also repelled the advances of a covetous 2nd XV captain. Despite this early victory Leo’s couldn’t maintain momentum against a large well organised and rugby league skilled opposition.
Lacking a prop, Scotty recklessly offered to front up at loose head “as long as they weren’t too nasty”, a message which clearly fell on the deaf ears of the visiting tight head! Lovejoy added bulk to the back row and everyone else was just about correctly positioned. Initially Leo’s were in the ascendancy making some good yards with the ball in hand and also with the boot. Johnny H kept Blakey supplied and Cas were pinned back early on. Unfortunately the scrums were Leo’s Achilles Heel. They went back rather fast as the front row of Scotty, Gav and Onslow found themselves no match for their bulkier and more scrum-skilled opponents. After the first rapid reverse Lovejoy immediately called for unopposed but it was a further four reverses later, with Scotty twisted into a spiral, that unopposed were finally and gratefully agreed upon.
This decision seemed to mean unopposed everything to Leo’s who served up twenty five minutes of insipid and disinterested rugby. Cas Vegas ran in three unanswered tries, all of which were converted, no matter what angle and Leo’s were left licking their wounds and facing a significant embarrassment. Luckily Leo’s are made of sterner stuff and set about righting some wrongs. Gav started to find The Incredible Sulk in the line-out and clean ball was provided to the hard running backs. Nial, Phil and the returning Brittle Ben all charged into the chest high and above, tackles of the visitors and the pack managed to support for recycling duties. Cas got anxious and resorted to personal abuse and threats to unsettle the genteel home side as referee Hardman (or Dad to some) managed to keep the pot from boiling over. Eventually Tim M scampered through and Scotty the Helix missed the extras.
Playing down hill into the sun needed to be exploited by Leo’s in the second half if they were to have any chance of recuing some pride, if not the game. The backs upped their pace and ingenuity with wings Tim and Si both making inventive yards and keeping the visitors pressed into their 22. The Cas pack were not going to be pushed around so the driving maul wasn’t an option. Instead, avoiding the proverbial arm wrestle, Leo’s spun the ball through the backs at every opportunity with CJ+ and Carl providing back row support to the three quarter moves. Eventually the visitors defence was breached as The Sulk scored out wide. Two more scoring chances went begging as first The Power was adjudged to have been held up before the same offender was pulled for a scrambling and crawling quadruple movement in the act of scoring. The penalty count rose as Cas became more and more fretful in the face of the Leo’s onslaught. The Sulk scored again, wider still for the conversion as Leo’s got to within 6 points with 5 minutes to play. Down to the wire as Leo’s drove in again and again, Cas transgressing again and again, with Leo’s hopeful of a more serious sanction than the penalties awarded. The Cas stout defence held firm and turned over the final play. However the scrum half sliced his match ending clearance into Kinga’s arms and another set of phases tested the resolve of both sides and the referee. Finally a fumble from an exhausted Leo handed the victory to Castleford and their experienced wily and steadfast defence, despite Leo’s best efforts and three unanswered tries in the second half. On another day victory would have been Leo’s, but it was not to be.