West Leeds 26-20 Beverley
This was a difficult game to report due to the dense fog, at times you could hardly see from one side of the pitch to the other, writes Glenn Broadbent.
The game was evenly matched with two similar sides competing for advantage for the full 80 minutes.
It was West Leeds who broke the deadlock on 11 minutes following a pinpoint kick leading to a catch and drive try 7-0.
On 17 minutes Wests’ Dec Penny saw an early yellow card giving the visitors a penalty in front of the posts. 7-3.
Beverley missed their next chance on twenty-two minutes but made no mistake three minutes later taking the lead with a well worked try. 7-10
The hosts hit straight back with a penalty to draw level 10-10.
On thirty minutes a long-range drop goal demonstrated the tightness of the game, and put Beverley ahead again. 10-13
With the visitors threatening again Wests fullback latched onto a loose ball and a fine clearance kick and some imaginative cross field play saw the home side take the advantage 17-13.
As the first half moved into added time West Leeds’ fly half added three points with an almost impossible 50-metre penalty.
HT 20-13
The second half started with West Leeds tacking the initiative giving them another penalty on forty-nine minutes 23-13.
This is now sounding like a kicking game but it was the competitive nature of open play which led to both sides accepting every opportunity to keep the scoreboard ticking had to be taken.
And so it was six minutes later with Wests extending their lead to 26-13.
It wasn’t until the seventieth minute that the scoreboard moved again with a Beverley try and conversion. By this time the visibility was so bad I had to rely on the cheers of the visiting supports to be sure it had happened 26-20.
This lead to a tense last ten minutes with both sides going close and Beverley missing a penalty.
FT 26-20
The final score was a true reflection of this evenly matched and entertaining encounter, Beverley getting a deserved loosing bonus point.
Next week West Leeds are in National Cup action against Gateshead in the Intermediate Cup. Kick -off is 2pm and a bumper crowd is expected so get there early.
