Leo’s lose a player, their composure, and the game as Parker pens new law interpretations

Following two weeks of scarcity JPs Harvest was bountiful as 21 players young and old assembled to take on a very well organised and experienced Yarnbury side. With Jewey and Eags pulling the strings behind the pack there was plenty of experience throughout the side even though the centre paring of Leslie and Caddy could have been viewed as “experimental”. The pack worked hard in the opening exchanges and decent possession was provided for the backs who were repelled by a very strong home defence. Neither the guile of Eags nor the pace of Stubbley could make the telling break and the game remained scoreless until the first major incident. Loitering without intent in midfield Simon H found himself as support runner to a backs break and while charging onto the pop pass met a Yarnbury prop head on mid fumble. The ensuing impact was very nasty and Simon was eventually removed from the field to quiver in shock until the ambulance eventually carried him off to hospital. Get well soon Si, our third major injury this season.
Rido joined the still offensive pack where Dolph and Si W were making good yards but the support was not competing well enough at the breakdown. Scrums and Scotty’s lineouts were working well while Yarnbury looked solid but unspectacular. They opted for a three pointer to open the scoring after a competitive first half hour and Tim Leslie replied to even up the scores just before the break. Despite this very un-fourth team decision to kick for goal the widely held view was that in such a tight game it was necessary and that no shame should be attached to such negative play!
With all to play for but with both sides cancelling themselves out Leo’s revitalised their team, but Yarnbury did it better with the addition of two very pacy backs. Weary Scotty had to stay on “because no one else could throw in” but Newsh and Tom W added more bosh to the pack. The tightness of the game increased and the refereeing decisions became more curious as the pressure seemed to affect some more than others. Yarnbury edged ahead before Leo’s had their best spell of pressure. A top notch forward drive bowled over the line but was only given a millisecond to ground the ball. The subsequent scrum was driven forward, collapsed by Yarnbury, and a penalty given to the home side for a back rower not binding. That Yarnbury then scorched the length of the field for a well taken try only added to the chagrin. Tempers were lost, and composure ebbed away as the penalty count mounted against the visitors for who even the mild mannered Tom Wheldon was “10 yarded”. Leo’s continued to battle against the inevitable and yet another penalty was popped over before the game was brought to a very unsatisfactory conclusion.
Yarnbury deserved their victory, but it was the manner in which Leo’s chances of victory were written out, along with the serious injury to yet another stalwart, made it all much harder to take. So on to next week, with the kick off back till 2.15 and the 4th XV after game social in the clubhouse to look forward to.