West Leeds 54-3 Yarnbury
Yarnbury lost this game after just three minutes when James Salter scored the opening try, which was converted for an early 7-0 lead, writes Glenn Broadbent.
Standing behind the in-goal area in the Cliffe Park end it was possible to hear the captain’s team talk and it was about damage limitation and don’t let them score in the next ten minutes.
The visitors managed this despite strong pressure from Wests and the next score came on 18 minutes following some determined forward play for 14-0.
It was the 20th minute before one of their few attempts at getting on the scoreboard, this was fought off by committed defensive work and an imaginative cross-field kick pass gained much ground for the home side.
West Leeds continued to boss the game but is was a penalty against the run of play that gave Yarnbury three points 14-3.
Just three minutes later the West Leeds pack took full advantage of the failure of the pack from Horsforth – 21-3 HT.
The second half began with West Leeds creating a very simple backs try instigated by Calderwood. Dale Breakwell had his kicking boots on and made it four from four 28-3. Bonus point secured.
This was the catalyst for the visiting side to use tactics which can only be described as mean and downright disrespectful. When you are so far behind there is no point in fighting because you are only going to make it worse.
And so it did six minutes later when Booth made a clever to go over for try number five and Breakwell converted again 35-3.
Wests were down to 14 men when Cockin was binned on 52 minutes and just two minutes later the Yarnbury 19 and Pearson from West Leeds joined him. This led to a period of midfield scrappy play with visitors continuing to niggle and do all they could to entice the opposition into confrontation.
The visitors failed to capitalize on their advantage and fell further behind and Danish international Tony Mammem added another five points, Breakwell adding the two points for 42-3.
It was Wests running the show and on 79 minutes good handling took the score to 47-3, Breakwell having taken his boots off.
As the game approached its close the returning and impressive Carpenter picked up a loose ball in his own 22 and Calderwood set off on a run most couldn’t manage after eight minutes let alone 80, the lad has some staying power.
I may not live in a ‘posh’ part of Leeds but I can count, and this victory makes it 109-3 on aggregate.