Leo’s escape with a stolen victory

Whether it was the weather, the hangover from last week’s humbling of Pocklington or just one of those days Leo’s put in a largely skill-free performance against tenacious opponents and sneaked a win through a never say die attitude and a large dose of luck. With a team of regulars and a couple on the bench only a lack of an experienced controller would have given rise to any thoughts of how badly the team could perform. With Grant bravely taking on the unfamiliar role at 10 the remaining Leo’s were all season hardened players performing, or rather not performing, in their favoured positions. The first half was an attritional battle where Leo’s failed to gain any cohesion and the home side scrapped at every break down and took advantage of the referee’s lack of any gate at all at the rucks. Forwards were cleared out from every rib-bruising angle as Leo’s failed to respond in kind and were continually slowed down or turned over. Billy was superb under the high ball all afternoon in testing conditions and Stubbsy ran back hard and fast but there was little follow up support or retention skills from the rest. Scrums and lineouts went to type and there was little in the way of points scoring opportunities for half an hour or so before Lord Newnsy of Harewood cantered in out wide and Leo’s turned round with a 5-3 lead.
As Matt W, one of Leo’s spectating Magi (Aspirin and Josh’s Dad being the other welcome supporters), pointed out that Leo’s were slow, disjointed, disorganised and passionless it was hoped that the second half would not degenerate further. Sadly it did. Decisions got stranger and stranger. West Park got more and more liberal with their challenges and competing for the ball and while the scoreboard ticked over with the lead changing hands again and again nobody seemed quite sure who could be bothered to win. Last year Leo’s would most certainly have lost, but while all last week’s positives were washed away there remained the indomitable 4th XV spirit.
First Stubbsy arced in and scored under the posts for Grant to drop-kick the conversion wide! This was followed by some heroic backs to the line defending before the home side scored a try, followed by a second penalty. Leo’s replied with a scrappy length of the field kick and chase with JP touching down, and Scotty, back on the field in place of the battered Isaac adding the extras. Leo’s then watched the restart without actually bothering to move and the pressure was on again. West Park scored 2 more tries as the game looked to be drifting away from the visitors. Somehow the collective spirit was distilled and the pack, led by Dog and Tom made hard yards, Robbo tried in vain to release the backs but to no avail and Leo’s were under the cosh once again. More ragged defensive duties were rewarded by a Ken Barlow half knock-on half interception that the referee interpreted in Leo’s favour and Lord Newnsy was off on an age defying kick and chase. With a variety of advice ringing in his ears LN out-paced the covering prop to score and allow Scotty to eat into the final minutes with his 2-pointer. With a couple of minutes left Leo’s applied themselves at last to some defensive duties and the final play of the game was a sublime touch-finder from marauding forward Tom W.
A victory secured on spirit and luck needs vast improvement in skill application and organisation next week.