Yorkshire Carnegie
Bath Recs Leeds’ Resurgence
Billy on song!
By Gelbel
January 9 2011
Leeds had got their first win of the season under their belts and all thoughts turned south for another vital win at Bath. Now, I don’t bother looking at the Aviva Premiership table as I know we are bottom, Newcastle are only a win above us and I really don’t care what is happening at the other end. So when I had a peek prior to this game, I was shocked to see that Bath are not doing well (by their standards) and had only managed four AP wins (and as a Bristolian that delights me just as much as the prospect of there being four points just waiting to be picked up by Leeds).
With Sale doing us no favours, having drawn away at the Budgies on Friday night, a positive result was even more important to stop the points’ deficit growing and to keep the pressure on the other ‘usual suspects’ at the foot of the table.
I was up and out before the larks as I drove down to the south west to meet family and friends before we jumped on a train to Bath and a pre-match slap up buffet and drinks in one of the hospitality boxes.
With a virtually unchanged side, Alfie replacing DP on the bench, there was much hand rubbing in anticipation of our first away AP win of the season. And, not for the want of trying were Leeds on the wrong end of a narrow loss.
Bath opened with plenty of possession and showed lots of pace to pin Leeds down in their own half. However, the defence stood strong and Leeds survived the early blitz to keep Bath at bay. But on ten minutes Leeds were found guilty of pulling down the lineout and Olly Barkley kicked over a long range penalty.
So the game settled down and Leeds started to find their confidence, building some good attacking play for themselves. Every time Bath cleared the ball they seemed to boot it up high and in CT’s direction; but he’d remembered to pack his eye for the ball so was not at all troubled by the targeting. Just as Leeds were in a position to break Bath down and score, Scott Barrow knocked on - much to the jeers of the Bath fans and the groans of the Leeds fan (who seemed very conspicuous but their absence). Bath had to do a lot of defending and with that came persistent infringements, Leeds were awarded a penalty and Ceiron Thomas, who had also remembered to pack his kicking boots, stepped up to kick the three points. So, three-all after about twenty five minutes.
Bath nearly scored from the restart but Leeds’ defence brought Banana Man down spitting distance from the line. Things then got harder for Leeds as Warren ‘Billy’ Fury was sin-binned for slowing the ball down. Leeds were defending as if their lives depended on it and Bath were prevented any further points by making handling errors.
MacKay went off injured and Hints came on. And whether it was that CT could play at outside half or just confidence from the team, Leeds started to dominate the end of the first half. Shrek won his battle with Lewis Moody – the second choice England open-side had another fine game (and would be in an England starting fifteen if Moody were not captain) and was in the thick of all the action but needed lots of attention on the left side of his neck at every break in play. When several waves of attack did not bring about any points, Scott Barrow dropped a goal. There was some more defending to be done by Leeds before the half was over. ‘Slim-line’ Steve Thompson was penalised in the ruck and Berkley made it six-all at half time.
Part of the half time entertainment included one Bath supporters’ club member proposing to another in front of the crowd of 10,800. She said, ‘Of course, I will’. What’s the betting the wedding breakfast will be at The Rec? I can recommend the panacotta for pudding if that happens!
And so to the second half, and an extra layer of clothing; despite it being a gloriously, sunny day the sun was going down and the afternoon turned cold. But Bath turned up the heat and within minutes of the kick-off Abendanon went through a gaping hole for a certain try. Although the referee awarded the try Hints did claim to the ref that it should not be awarded. From where I was – above and just to the right I do not believe the ball was grounded. The try should not have been awarded. A couple of Bath fans agreed with me. But Berkley converted and it was 13-6.
Leeds made some changes; Mathie, Myall and MacDonald coming on for Fury, Browne and Hardy, and had most of the possession for the next twenty minutes. With a string of penalties close to the Bath try line, the kicks-to-touch route was taken and Steve Thompson peeled off a maul to score a well deserved and needed try. With CT stepping to the mark, it was thirteen apiece.
Alfie nearly created a second try a few minutes later – he’d come on for Oakley and was soon putting down the opposition as if he was swatting flies. Bath regained the lead through the boot of Barkley and he could have made the gap bigger but missed the penalty awarded for Leeds collapsing a scrum. Leeds did attack some more but fluffed two kicks to touch and all of a sudden there was a bit of last minute defending to do before the final whistle.
So at the end of a game that Leeds really could (should?) have won, they came away with a losing bonus point. And to the post mortem; I’d like to see the stats. Leeds had so much possession and so much territory but just could not make it pay. Teams playing us seem to know what is going to happen - secure the line out and drive and box-kick aplenty - so we are easy to defend against. We could do with a really fast sprinter in the backs and we are often too slow with support. We are seeing a settled team but we now need to start pulling some surprises (a throw to Big Mac at the front of the line out caught Bath unawares and Leeds made good yardage). But the biggest and best surprise of them all will be avoiding the drop at the end of the season.
PS – some rather good wine and cheeses were imbibed in the evening and, in the night, I dreamt the referee realised there was some time left to play, Leeds were awarded a penalty, the game was drawn and two points were gained. I so wish that was true.
Our thanks go to Patrick Khachfe of Onside Images for the photographs in this report. WW
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09/01/2011 19:19
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Zandra YaPoI
YaPoI - Yorkshire and Proud of It
'proficiscor in una'
Who, incidently had a quiet game and was unceremoniously dumped on his lovely bum during one tackle he made. Poor lamb.
'We could do with a really fast sprinter in the backs and we are often too slow with support'.
There is a lad at Saints who is out of contract at the end of the season who would fit that bill.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:01:09:20:39:08 by haxbytyke.
Quote:Gelbel
Just watched the highlights on ITV4 and I did a 'Haxby' and got on telly.......at a distance thank god!
Do you need an agent to organise book signings, photo shoots etc.??
Or is it a case of Leeds fan spotting? Some are easy to spot by virtue of the rather smart headgear, others are much more difficult.
Come on Leeds lets have some official yellow hats in the Club shops so that more of us could be spotted!
Quote:haxbytykeQuote:Gelbel
Just watched the highlights on ITV4 and I did a 'Haxby' and got on telly.......at a distance thank god!
Do you need an agent to organise book signings, photo shoots etc.??
Hollywood beckons for you Haxby.
