Gallant Leo’s Hold Out for Victory

Thankfully it included some backs with both the Portly Magician and the Posh Controller in midfield. Baildon had a rich mix of youth and experience for a match played out in surprisingly good conditions on the moors.
With experience and control in the backs the sensible territorial game plan worked well for Leo’s as the drove and kicked their way down the slope to keep the home side on the back foot. Catch and drives, recycling and good follow up support created enough pressure for Tim P to bludgeon his way over and Scotty curl over the extras for an early lead. Baildon were spirited in their reply and had both burly forwards and very lively young backs to keep the visitors busy. With Antek buzzing around the less likely options were sometimes taken as Leo’s looked to tighten the screw and after a breakdown in communication and teamwork Baildon were allowed back into the game. Leo’s steadied themselves with some power running from Joe in the centres and the pack offering good recycling support before Readie drove in, was boshed back but managed to recycle and the ball eventually reached Tom S who glided in under the posts for Leo’s to extend their lead, but lose the Posh Controller to a rib injury.
Leading 14-5 the loss of a degree of midfield control affected the Leo’s performance and they descended into a period of disorganisation and chelping against the strong but not always correct referee. Baildon kept their focus and following a stupid penalty from Scotty, worked the ball most of the way towards the Leo’s line before a lack of focus in the defensive line allowed a 7 pointer to be registered just before the break as the teams turned round with the score at 14-12 to the visitors.
Requiring some disciplined aggression and “in your face” defence Leo’s set about their task with some good forward rives from Josh, Tim and the back row before Joe decided to lose his backs cool and kick a Baildon player up the bottom! Following some forward chuckling the game proceeded with more drives from the pack before Baildon transgressed and from the tap penalty Man of the Match Thommo crashed through the first line of defence, pirouetted like one of those ice-skating Hippos in Fantasia, and scored out wide to extend Leo’s lead. With 20 minutes remaining a 7 point lead was unlikely to be enough so Leo’s changed their game plan from strong defence and swift counter attacks to grumbling, milling, giving away penalties, arguing with the referee, who by now had disallowed two Leo’s tries, and occasionally indulging in some argy bargy with the Baildon side who by now had their danders very much up. Having allowed the home side to score a very soft try with some exceptional milling and looking at Bleeding Ken Barlow Leo’s the set about defending a 2 point lead for 20 minutes.
With Billy Adams secure under the high balls once again, and his backs supporting his returns the game turned a bit International with a lot of territorial kicking and dogged defence. The wide pitch made touch finding tricky as even the Portly Magicians weight was inadequate with a couple of touch-finders which unfortunately became pacy wing-finders, much to the defenders dismay! Batman broke and left the field, Gav staunched the bleeding and returned, Scotty bled, JP was stunned and swollen, but still the line was held in the style of the West Yorkshire Regiment defending the Admin Box in The Arakan (Burma, February 1944 for those weak on history!). The line was strong enough for Baildon to opt for a three pointer from distance as a last hope of securing a victory but the ball fell short and was cleared and after a final charge up field exhausted Leo’s were relieved to hear the referee’s whistle as it brought an end to a hard fought and probably just deserved victory against a gallant Baildon side who never gave up.