Blitz spirit and strength in adversity just not quite enough

With no fewer than 6 “available” players from the squad going AWOL during the week (Please stop jogging Dolph!) and similar tales from higher up snuffing out any hope of assistance 11 players took up the call to arms and travelled to York. There was rugby to be played, a crowd to be entertained, and more importantly an opposition not to be let down. York kindly handed over three guests to ensure a competitive afternoons sport and that a fiercely competitive, sporting, ebbing and flowing display of good humoured social rugby ensued was testament to the spirit and endeavour of Leo’s and to the shame of those less committed.
Playing one short in the uncontested scrums the game was always going to be a slightly erratic fast paced contest. There was plenty of running from both sides, too much tackling for Lloyd and Carl, some hard driven mauls and open play scampers and sprints from a committed bunch of heroic travellers. After a suitably scrappy start, when Leo’s conceded two tries Rapid McGuest looped in for a reply to wake up York enough to score again before the break. The second half saw some excellent, applied, skilful and courageous rugby from the 4th XV as 2 tries from the scampertastic babysitter and a second from Rapid McGuest gave the numerically handicapped visitors a 3 point lead. Unfortunately exhaustion set in and York edged ahead and then, paid the ultimate compliment to the brave Leo’s performance in kicking a penalty late on to secure the game. There was one last play for Leo’s to try to snatch an unlikely victory and when Lloyd was bundled into touch you’d have thought York had won the Heineken Cup, such was their joy and relief at the victory. A great advertisement for club rugby ended with handshakes all round and much appreciation for Leo’s in actually bothering to travel with 11 to ensure rugby was the winner.
Leo’s Heroes:
Stephan Fedex: Hard running wing play and solid tackling from the “honest” wide man
Lloyd Nicholson: Rock solid defence and speedy evasive breaks during a hard day at the tackling office
Jon Mills: Runs stronger and stronger at the heart of the opposition defences. Never shirked a tackle and unlucky not to come away with a try.
JP “Utility” Ashton: Drafted in to standoff for a display of ingenuity and guile that set up many a chance. Strong in the charge and solid in defence
Jake Matthews: Scampering halfback play at its best. Speed for the break, and two tries. Superb.
Big Steve Clarke: A mauling monster who helped the pack make hard yards against their numerically superior opponents.
Rido: A hand in here, a smother tackle there, a snaffle and a steal followed by extra yards from the returning clown footed pack stalwart.
Scotty: Big Steve’s mauling tag team partner for the hard yards and fringing tackler/obstructer to plug the defensive line.
Rhett Butler: Caught, ran in well, defended bravely as he now gives a damn about being a forward not a back.
Tom Wheldon: Elusive running and support play set up a try as the Marathon Man returned to duty.
Carl Stephenson: Tackle-tastic and line breaking elusiveness from the once brittle dynamo in a nonstop display from The Gay Impetuoso.

And thanks to the Guests, Rapid McGuest, Forward Mike and Fullback Mike? (Sorry), without whom we could not have competed.