West Leeds 37-15 Scarborough
West Leeds returned to action after a three-week break but there was no rustiness to this performance against the Mansion dwelling visitors from Yorkshire’s equivalent of Monaco, writes Glenn Broadbent.
Wests were ahead after just three minutes following a great scrummage and some good passing moves. 5-0
Scarborough hit back with a penalty ten minutes later 5-3.
Immediately from the restart West Leeds restored their five-point advantage 8-3.
For the rest of the first half it was one-way traffic with the home side dominating the scrums and outplaying the visitors in every department.
It was 13-3 on 18 minutes after some terrific strong running and intelligent off-loads. A penalty try was awarded and the conversion made it 20-3 at half time following a series of scrums in which Scarborough were persistently unable to control Wests’ pressure.
The first move of the second half of saw the visitors come out of the trap faster than West Leeds legend, Onslow used to come out of a Bridlington bordello.
Their visit into home half resulted in little and on the 43rd minute Wests extended their lead following a great break from Steffan James, who has the ability to expose the narrowest of gaps. 27-3 and the bonus point secured.
On the 49th minute Scarborough paid the price for their continued indiscipline with a yellow card and West Leeds took immediate advantage with a further converted try. 34-3
Scarborough tried their level best to get back into the game but poor handling and increasingly predictable set piece moves let them down.
The game looked in the bag before the madness that ensued between 60 and 66 minutes. West Leeds were then down to thirteen men after the referee sent two players to the sin-bin for technical offences.
Scarborough took this as a signal for a mini fightback and added two tries in close succession, one converted, took the score to 34-15.
With four minutes of normal time remaining West Leeds were back to 15 men before the referee decided he had re-introduced Captain Neave six seconds early and sent him back to the sidelines before Wests extended the lead to 37-15.
Scarborough’s efforts continued see them become more frustrated and the disappointment with their own performance became visible.
The game ended 37-15 with West Leeds in second place in Yorkshire Division One, thirteen points ahead of their guests who can return home to sip cocktails on the terrace while West Leeds players and supporters head home to our candlelit hovels to enjoy chicken nuggets and a 2.3% can of value bitter, allbeit with five points in the bag.