Leo’s Throw Away Long Distance Victory

In a reverse of the previous week Leo’s healthy 17 man squad was met by an opposition assembly of over 2 dozen so a hard day at the South Yorkshire branch of the office was on the cards.
For the first 20 minutes the visitors were in complete control and the game was played out in the home sides 22. The front three of Thommo, Gav, Rido were driven forward by the JP/Scotty powered engine room as scrum after scrum was secured, no matter who put it in. At scrum half Corporal Punishment scampered and stepped before feeding young Jake to release the backs. The home defence was strong, up a little early, but not unpierceable as Carl joined the line from fullback and pacy yards were made. However, throughout the afternoon no less than 5 loose balls were thrown when security was required and interception yards were added by the Wath backs. This profligacy would come back to haunt the over elaborate visitors come the final whistle.
Eventually, after a few drives from the pack, where Si H was trialling as Henry’s replacement at 8, the backs worked a fancy move with Ben and Lloyd interpassing and Ben breaking through to set up Jake for a try out wide, which Scotty failed to convert. More pressure was applied and scoring opportunities squandered as Leo’s tried to exploit the pace of Tom and Al out wide. Finally, the fanciest of backs moves involving the full set of three quarters interpassing at pace resulted in Lithe Lloyd diving in at the corner to polish off a 60 yard move and give Leo’s a 10 point lead after Jake continued the sides record of not scoring a conversion since last April!
Wath replenished their resources while Leo’s looked at their bench of Batman and Ray, wondering if their combined age of 123 would be some kind of record if they linked up in the pack. The second half was a tighter and feistier affair with a few squabbles involving Corporal Punishment and a late hit on Jake. Wath took a three pointer; such was their confidence in breaking through the resolute Leo’s defence. Leo’s responded with their best period of the game as the pack took control with some driving, recycling and ball retention to keep the visitors on their heels. Matt W, Thommo and a dummytastic Batman kept the proceedings heading in the right direction whilst CJ just ran very fast in whichever way he was facing. The pace of Lithe Lloyd and Pizzaboy nearly added another try before the pack took over and a CJ secured lineout was driven forcefully over from 5 metres with Si H selfishly claiming a whole try rather than sharing it out in eighths to his pack colleagues! Naturally the conversion was missed but at 15-3 up, with twenty to go, and Wath not looking too threatening the game was there to be won.
Wath never gave up though and worked a long range try which Matt shepherded out wide to make the conversion unlikely. Leo’s had 5 minutes to defend a 7 point lead. Wath had their dander’s up. The referee was erring towards law misinterpretation and Leo’s arrayed their defensive line in the style of The 51st Highland Division at St Valery in 1940. Wath piled in and the Leo’s defenders repelled by mainly fair means. During the last play the referee penalised Thommo twice and Scotty once for ruck infringements as the penalties drew nearer and nearer the Leo’s line. Eventually the referee ran out of patience at the ignoring of his very narrow gate and awarded a penalty try, rather than the official punitive action of sin-binning and repeat penalty. While Leo’s can be miffed at this overzealous application of the law as a try was by no means certain they can only have themselves to blame for not having the game well and truly won considering their superior possession and opportunities in the early stages. Still, a spirited performance against a 3rd XV from a club only one division below Leo’s is something to build on in the coming weeks as Leo’s 4th XV travel far and wide across The Broad Acres.