By Chris in the Archive
May 6 2003

In the run up to Saints winner take all game at the Gardens on Saturday against Leeds we look back at previous encounters between the two clubs. The first meeting between the teams was en route to the 2000 in the Tetley Bitter Cup Final, Andy Blowers made his debut but just 3,000 turned up. Saints 73 Leeds 35

By Chris On The Spot
Date: 5/11/2000

Leeds came to Franklins Gardens hoping to cause an upset but were sent back to Yorkshire with their tails between their legs as Saints enjoyed an eleven try romp. There must now be questions of the gulf, that is getting wider and wider, between first and second division clubs.

Leeds however were not helped by referee Roy Maybank who sent two of their men to the sin bin and awarded a penalty try at a first offence.

Suprisingly it was the visitors who scored first through Chris Hall and enjoyed a 7-0 lead for all of a minute before youngster Harvey Thorneycroft
went in under the posts. Paul Grayson, playing at fullback, converted to level the scores before Matt Dawson went over to give the Saints the lead after good work from debutant Andrew Blowers.

Again the visitors suprised and regained the lead though a converted Shaun Woof try. However this sparked Saints into life and the rest of the half was one way traffic, and with Leeds losing both Chris Johnston (no, not that one) and Andy Hurdley to the bin, the home side rattled in twenty one unanswered points before the break.
Trys from Grant Seeley, Ben Cohen and a second for Dawson were all converted by Grayson to give a 33-14 half time lead.

The second half started in the same vein with Cohen getting his second before Matt Allen and Simon Webster scored either side of the dubious
penalty try. The lead was now forty five points but to their credit Leeds still attacked when they got their very limited possession.

Former Glos scrumhalf went over for the score before Hall made up for his earlier misdemeanour
and got on the scoresheet.

The Saints hit back yet again to put any thoughts of a revival out of Leeds minds with two quickfire tries from Tim Rodber and Kelvin Todd.
Despite now being down and out the visitors had the last say with a Chris Emmerson try at the death.

An all round sound performance from the Saints and a storming debut for Andrew Blowers. Although the standard of the opposition was not as high as in recent weeks the team have proved that given the chance they can play the game at speed and given quick ball can get the backs coming into the game at pace and out wide.

There is still a lot to be played for this season and the team is now starting to gell.

RESULT:
Saints 73 Leeds 35

TEAMS:
SAINTS: Paul Grayson; Harvey Thorneycroft, Allan Bateman, Matt Allen (Mark Tucker 75), Ben Cohen (Simon Webster 55); Ali Hepher, Matt Dawson (Dom Malone 49); Garry Pagel, Steve Thompson, Matt Stewart (Kelvin Todd 49), Jon Phillips, Tim Rodber, Grant Seely (Dan Richmond 66), Andrew Blowers (Mark Soden 58), Pat Lam (capt, Andy Newman 44).

Leeds: J Benson; C Hall, S Woof, T Stanger, C Emmerson; S Bashop, S Benton; M Shelley (capt), M Luffman (P Keys 55), C Johnston (D Crowley 40), E Jones (P Murphy 63), T Palmer, A Hurdley, J Ponton, D Hyde (D Crowley 33-40, I Clarke 40).

SCORERS:
SAINTS:
Try: Dawson (2), Cohen (2), Thorneycroft, Seely, Allen, Webster, Rodber, Todd, Penalty.
Coversion: Grayson (9).

Leeds:
Try: Hall (2), Woof, Benton, Emmerson.
Conversion: Benson (5)

NAUGHTY BOYS
SAINTS: None!
Leeds:
Yellow: Hurdley, Johnston.

SCORING SEQUENCE:
0-5 Hall try; 0-7 Benson con; 5-7 Thorneycroft try; 7-7 Grayson con; 12-7 Dawson try; 12-12 Woof try; 12-14 Benson con; 17-14 Seely try; 19-14 Grayson con; 24-14 Cohen try; 26-14 Grayson con; 31-14 Dawson try; 33-14 Grayson con; 38-14 Cohen try; 40-14 Grayson con; 45-14 Allen try; 47-14 Grayson con; 52-14 penalty try; 54-14 Grayson con; 59-14 Webster try; 59-19 Benton try; 59-21 Benson con; 59-26 Hall try; 59-28 Benson con; 64-28 Rodber try; 66-28 Grayson con; 71-28 Todd try; 73-28 Grayson con; 73-33 Emmerson try; 73-35 Benson con.

REFEREE:
Roy Maybank (RFU)

ATTENDANCE:
3299

WEATHER:
Sunny spells, breezy.