A long time ago, as a small boy (yes, really), I cut my rugby-watching teeth at Moseley, and their result is still the one I look for after the Tykes. This was a short way away at their traditional home at the Reddings (now under Barratt Homes) where, at the time, Moseley were one of the foremost clubs in the land. There have been some changes since then, but Moseley are on the way back up, and have an excellent new ground on Billesley Common. This used to be an open field where I sometimes watched Moseley's 3rds or 4ths, but now it includes a fine clubhouse, a stand, hospitality boxes, and all other mod cons.

AramisTyke, DartagnanTyke and I made the short trip down, pausing only to collect our local Tyke supporter (well, she's been to two games now), now known as AimeeTyke. Moseley are well known as a welcoming club, and possibly they are the only side to offer free sweets to all arriving at the ground. They're also a club with a thriving mini section, so you're mugged for your change by the Under 7s as soon as you enter. (Have a good tour, Moseley Minis, and spend the money we gave you wisely.)

A sizeable (in two ways) enclave of travelling Tykes was gathered outside the clubhouse, checking that the catering was up to standard. The sale at the Leeds clubshop seems to have been doing well; several gleaming new white shirts were on display. As the game started, the enclave moved closer the touchline and prepared to support. Leeds were playing right-to-left, with the advantage of a strong wind for the first half.

Leeds started as expected with Hinton at full back, Goodridge and Blackett on the wings, and Hepworth and Barrow in the centres. di Bernado was at ten, with Mathie at scrum half. The front row was MacDonald, Ma'asi, and Gomez. Pendlebury and Murphy were behind, with a back row of Dunbar, Clark and Oakley.

The first chance to score went to Moseley, awarded a penalty after only two minutes. The kick looked good but hit the post and Leeds were able to clear. Soon after Leeds got a penalty of their own on the Moseley ten metre line. Perhaps surprisingly, Leeds opted to kick for the corner. Surprisingly, because with the league standings at the start of the game, bonus points no longer mattered; winning was what was important. Still, the line out was won, and the forwards started to rumble towards the Moseley line. Maisie was stopped just short, but the recycling was quick, and Pudding was over under the sticks. The good Doctor made the conversion, and it was 7-0 with six minutes on the clock.

Leeds were back at Moseley straight from the kick off. A fine break by Blacks took them back to the Moseley 22, but progress was stopped by the first of many knock ons. Leeds got a good nudge on at the scrum, and stole the ball, but it was soon lost and Moseley were able to clear.

The teams spent the next few minutes testing each other out in midfield, while Mr Wigglesworth decided it was time to see if his shiny whistle worked. The Moseley faithful gradually became dissatisfied with his interpretation of some rules but their frustration was nothing compared to Big Mac's. A highlight was a Moseley line out where the ball travelled maybe three metres before being caught. Big Mac clearly thought the rule required the ball to travel a little further but, of course, Mr Wigglesworth had the shiny whistle.

After the usual whiff whaff inspired by the ELVs (and made more interesting than usual by the wind), the Doc tried something different. He chipped over the Moseley defenders on half way, gathered, passed, and suddenly the twinkling feet were clear and heading for the line. The Moseley cover just got back in time, and Heps was held up on his back over the line. Leeds were shoved off the resulting scrum and Moseley cleared.

Wheels was the next of the backs to make a promising break. Moseley just managed to stop him, but were penalised for being on the wrong side. The penalty went to the corner again, the line out was won, but yet again the ball was dropped (this time Maisie being the culprit).

More midfield whiff whaff ensued, with both sides failing to do very much constructive, and dropping the ball when they tried anything. Leeds gradually worked their way towards the Moseley line but, unsurprisingly, the ball was dropped. On 27 minutes, Leeds made a mess of a back move, and Wheels shovelled the ball backwards to where he hoped would be some support. A surprised Penders spotted the ball, gathered, and loped off towards the Moseley line. There was no stopping something Penders-sized moving at Penders-speed and with the Doc's extras it was 14-0.

Moseley attacked from the restart but a good break from Blacks put an end to their chances. A feature all game was that the Leeds backs could make breaks but the support often failed to keep up. This was the case here, and Moseley were able to clear with the aid of a penalty for holding on.

The half was drawing to a close when Leeds kicked another penalty deep into Moseley territory. The resulting line out was one of the few taken cleanly all afternoon, and a quick pass from Sharky saw Jaffa take the ball on a runaround with Wheels. He was under the posts, and the Doc made it 21-0.

But Moseley were not beaten yet. A quick score before the half could keep them in the game, and this is what they went for, and also what they got. The opportunity game from a wild pass from Jaffa, which went into touch on the Leeds 10 metre line. Moseley's line out was a disaster, but Leeds managed to turn the ball over, and Moseley broke away. A kick ahead meant that it became a race to the line, which Moseley won in the corner. The kick was missed, but at 21-5 at the half, Moseley had a sniff of being back in the game. And they would have the advantage of the breeze in the second half.

The enclave moved to the other end of the ground at half time, hoping to see action at the end Leeds were attacking. Things did not quite turn out this way. Also at half time, news started to filter through from Coventry; Exeter were winning, but not by much.

Leeds started the second half at a brisk pace. They kicked off, with the Doc using the wind well to get the ball to hang. Little Murph gathered and Leeds were on the attack straight away. The ball was lost when Murph knocked on, but Moseley quickly gave it back by being penalised for offside. The kickable penalty was taken as a scrum; the scrum was solid, Pudding picked up the ball and sauntered over the line for the bonus point try while Moseley watched. The Doc made it 28-5 and all seemed in the Tykes world, especially when more news from Coventry revealed that Exeter were not enjoying the mud (we assumed it was muddy at Cov, it usually is).

The travelling Tykes have got used to a pattern in some games. Leeds get comfortably ahead in these games, and then sportingly decide to let the other team get close. This happened in Camborne, it almost happened at Roth, it happened at Bedford (where it went horribly wrong) and it happened at Donny (only they forgot the "get comfortably ahead" bit). It was to happen again at Moseley.

Moseley were on the attack from the restart. The shiny whistle helped them move close to the Leeds line, and they were nearly through twice. The Leeds defence was nearly good enough, but only nearly, and eventually Moseley found space out wide. They were over in the right corner and, with the conversion made, it was 28-12 after 46, and they were looking back in the game.

The Moseley players clearly thought they were now back in it. They were tackling well and when Leeds did manage to get the ball, the wind was making it difficult to clear the lines. On 50, most likely with an eye on the midweek game, Oakley, Gomez and Clark left the field, to be replaced by Pala'amo, Danny Paul, and Davidson.

Leeds did manage a few attacks during the second half, but too often the ball was just dropped. On 58, DP broke from a scrum on half way, found Wheels, who made a good break. All was undone, though, when the ball was knocked on yet again at the Moseley 22.

Both sides continued to have chances, but now most of the game was being played in the middle third of the field. Mr Wigglesworth kept things interesting by penalising both sides liberally. Both sides were also making sloppy mistakes; line outs were a lottery for both teams, and both teams seemed to be able to disrupt the other's ball at the scrum.

As the 30 minute mark in the second half passed, the travelling Tykes began to feel confident, and began to take more of an interest in proceedings at Coventry. It was still close, although Exeter did have the bonus. Come on Cov!

On 71, Mr Wigglesworth decided that it is a knock on if a defender kicks the ball out of the scrum half's hands, and so Moseley had a scrum on half way. They made a quick break, and the Leeds defence (most likely gathered under the posts studying the laws of the game) was completely absent as Moseley were in under the posts. The kick made it 28-19, and we were in for an interesting ten minutes.

Shortly after the try Biggs replaced Hints, but this was to be the last substitution of the game. Henry Paul and Rawlinson were on the bench, but their time will presumably come in midweek.

The travelling Tykes breathed a sigh of relief as Penders got the ball from the kick off. He passed to Big Mac, who lost it. Moseley were seriously up for this now and broke away yet again. The defence was desperate, but a massive overlap appeared, and Moseley were again over in the corner. The kick made is 28-26, the clock said 74 minutes gone.

It was also now announced in the enclave that Cov (the finest, most sporting team with the finest pitch I have ever seen) were beating Exeter. We now had to keep up with two games. AimeeTyke at this point told me that the game could be close; she's learning.

Now was the time for experience, and happily Leeds had this. The ball was secured from another fine kick off from the Doc, and the forwards set about running down the clock by rumbling the ball around. Moseley's desperation to stop them resulted in a penalty in front of their posts, and the Doc knocked it over to give some slight breathing space at 31-26.

Leeds gathered the kick off (Cov were still winning!) and starting rumbling around again. Moseley gave away a penalty out of the Doc's range, so he kicked for touch. The travelling Tykes groaned as the kick was too short, groaned again when the Moseley winger kept it in play, and cheered when it went forwards off his legs to a colleague who, in a very offside position, promptly picked it up. The resulting penalty made touch easily. All that remained (Come on, Cov!) was to win the line, rumble a bit, and end the game. DP did the first, the forwards did the second, and the shiny whistle of Mr Wigglesworth did the rest.

Another result that was a bit close for comfort, but another good win, and a five pointer at that. Moseley also got two league points, which they would probably have taken at the start of the game.

All that remained was to confirm that Cov had won. The Leeds Ball Boy (yes, we take our own) confirmed this, and the travelling Tykes managed a chant of "Coventry, Coventry" as they left the ground. That probably went down really well with the Moseley folks.

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