Saturday 15th February 2025

Regional 1 North West

Leek 44

Stoke 7

Leek won the Staffordshire derby in emphatic style on Saturday, eclipsing their neighbours by 5 tries to 1 and improving chance of avoiding relegation with only 4 matches remaining to play.
Following on the road losses to the top 2 in the division, Anselmians and Rossendale, Leek returned to Altrad Park with a few changes made.
Jack Newton Taylor, Josh Fowles and Kin Critchlow were the back 3 with Josh Nadin and Will Midwinter in the centres. Joe Byrne returned at scrum half, partnering Rob McDermott at half back.
Skipper Joe Newton Taylor returned with Ed Cheadle and Lewis Dunleavy in the front row. Joel Booth returned at lock with Tom Hayes. Brenig Hughes, Goerge Hunt and Ollie Powell were in the back row.
Luke Hardern, Billy Kidd and Noah Reaney made up the bench.

After a lot of rain overnight, the game was to be played on a greasy pitch, but it was still and cold and allowed for a good match to be observed, as the large crowd gathered for the kick off.
Leek opened the scoring on 8 minutes with a successful Will Midwinter penalty for offside outside the Stoke 22. Stoke had the chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty for a high tackle, but the ball hit the post, came infield and Jack Newton Taylor set up the counterattack from which Leek eventually won a penalty for a high tackle on 15 minutes. Will Midwinter doubled Leek’s lead with the attempt.
6-0. As the 2nd quarter opened, Leek stole a Stoke lineout but were then turned over and good pressure from the visitor pack led to an overlap on the left for captain Jamie Loska to score a try. The conversion was good and Stoke led 6-7.
That lead lasted only 3 minutes as Will Midwinter competed a hat trick of penalties when Stoke were caught offside on their 22 on 25 minutes. 9-7.
4 minutes later and Leek turned the ball over in their own 22. Kin Critchlow broke clear and chipped through for Josh Fowles to kick ahead to near the Stoke goal line. The slippery surface helped Leek as the defence couldn’t collect the ball and so Will Midwinter gathered and scored by the posts. He converted and Leek led 16-7 on 29 minutes.
As Leek momentum continued, Stoke’s centre was shown a yellow card after a high tackle and another 10 metres for back chat meant Leek’s lineout was inside the Stoke 22 on the left. The catch and drive and then broken play rucks to near the line then led Joe Byrne to dart over by the posts to score Leek’s 2nd try on 34 minutes. Midwinter’s conversion was good, and the score moved up to 23-7. Joe Byrne wasn’t finished with scoring in the first half when a Stoke lineout on their own 22 on their left was tapped down by Leek on 37 minutes. Byrne gathered, shook off the tackle of the back row and sprinted towards goal. He sold a dummy to score on the right and the successful conversion made the score 30-7 on 39 minutes. (see attached photos of Joe evading the tackle and scoring.) The half ended without further score and Leek looking capable of more scoring in the 2nd half.

HT – Leek 30-7 Stoke

The 3rd quarter was strongly contested in midfield before another Stoke yellow for back chat on 55 minutes, led to a Leek lineout on Stoke’s 5 metre line on the right. However, Stoke won the lineout and ran the ball wide but knocked on, giving Leek a scrum on the left about 7 metres from the Stoke goal line. A tremendous shove by the Leek pack allowed the Leek No.8, Brenig Hughes to gather and crash over at the back of the scrum for Leek’s bonus point try. Will Midwinter converted and Leek led 37-7 on 59 minutes.
From the kick off, the ball only found Lewis Dunleavy on Leek’s 10 metre line. The youngster needed no further encouragement to run, and he sprinted over halfway, over the 10-metre line and was only collared in the Stoke 22 by the covering wing. Leek won a penalty for offside and kicked for the 5-metre lineout on the left. A good catch and drive and ball transfer to Ollie Powell saw the flanker crash over for his try on 63 minutes. Will Midwinter converted and Leek led 44-7.
The scoring was over now but both sides continued to throw the ball around looking for another try and Stoke had pressure inside the Leek 22 for a few minutes, but the defensive tackling, notably from George Hunt, prevented the Leek line from being crossed in the whole half. Leek had a couple of late chances to score too, but couldn’t quite convert and the game ended in midfield stalemate.

Overall, the most important point was the result for Leek, but all of the squad put in a tough shift to a man and deserved their impressive win. There is a break next week as other clubs play their games in hand before Leek travels to Kendal on March 1st. Kick off is 3pm.

Stoke, Birkenhead Park, Kendal and Blackburn didn’t score a league point on Saturday, so Leek’s 5 points, in that context, is exceptionally important. The Moorlanders moved up to 9th place with 32 points having played 18 matches. Kendal remains on 29 points, in 10th spot, having played 17 games, and will be the opposition both this Saturday at Stoke, as well as receiving Leek the week after. Stoke has 23 points in 11th place, from 17 games and Birkenhead Park has 13 points in 12th place, from 17 games. Blackburn in 8th place has 39 points from 18 matches.

The season is entering the final phase now and all league points for the teams in the relegation battle will be keenly contested. The Moorlanders face Kendal on March 1st, then welcome Birkenhead Park on March 8th, then travel to Stockport on March 22nd before completing the league campaign on April 5th with a home game against Manchester.

The team coach for the Kendal trip is leaving at 09:15 on March 1st, so if you want to travel on it, please watch out on the social media platforms for further details.

The 2s won an important game at Stoke too on Saturday, defeating their hosts by 7-57. It keeps the Moorlanders in 2nd place and with Newcastle 2s beating league leaders Barton, the two 2nd XVs have a chance to overtake Barton with their games in hand.

Leek 2s play their game in hand this Saturday at Altrad Park against Rugeley 1sts. KO is 2.15. A 5 point win would see them move to the top of the table. Please make every effort to come and support the 2s as they bid to win Midlands Counties 3 West (N). All the players will relish the support given. Thankyou.

The 3s lost a close game with Stafford 2s on top field on Saturday, but it’s great to see the team playing again and hopefully will be playing every week until the end of the season.

The Colts return to action this Saturday with a game against Tamworth at home. KO to be confirmed but if you’re coming to watch the 2s, then usually the Colts kick off earlier and deserve your support too.

Author J.McDermott