Saturday 13th September 2025

Regional 1 North West

Leek 32

Anselmians 36

Leek 1st team’s opening home fixture of the league season saw them pitched against the probable favourites to win the division. Anselmians finished 2nd last season and beating Huddersfield on the opening day this season by 62-29, the Moorlanders would have to be up for a big game to compete with their opponents. This they did and more with a superb effort from the squad which left them just shy of victory in a great game of rugby.

The squad showed one change in the starting XV with Josh Nadin taking over on the wing for injured Kin Critchlow, with Alex Fitzmaurice James and Jack Newton Taylor making up the back 3. Scott Rawlings and Will Midwinter were in the centres and Joe Byrne and Noah Reaney were at half back.
Joe Newton Taylor, Ed Cheadle and Lewis Dunleavy were in the front row and Joel Booth and Tom Hayes at lock. Joe Gorman, George Hunt and Ollie Powell made up the back row.
Joel Hine, Billy Kidd and Jack Bray were on the bench.

The rain stopped as the game started, and the surface must have been a pleasure to run on for the players after the scorched summer pitch training and the backs were soon in running mode as the visitors ran the ball out on the left on 3 minutes. A grubber kick through the Leek line was then attempted but Will Midwinter intercepted with his boot and kicked the ball forward. Under control, he kicked again deep into the Anselmians 22, waiting for the bounce of the ball to be kind, before gathering and scoring in the right corner. He converted too and Leek led early. 7-0
Anselmians then had a chance, but a lineout went astray before a penalty was awarded on 10 minutes at the ruck. The attempt from in front of goal was good and the score moved to 7-3.
Will Midwinter restored the 7-point lead on 14 minutes with a penalty in front as an Anselmians forward was penalised at the ruck. 10-3.
On 19 minutes, Anselmians scored their first try. Leek conceded a penalty and the Saints kicked for the lineout on their left inside Leek’s 22. A catch and drive were halted near the Leek line, then the defence held the forward surges before the ball was spun out for a try on the wide right. The conversion was good, and it was 10-10.
4 minutes later and Leek was back in front. A lineout on the Anselmians 22 led to a strong maul and then the ball was moved across the line, before coming back left again. Great patience and ball protection moved the attack forward until slick hands gave Jack Newton Taylor enough space to get between defenders and score in the left corner. The conversion missed but Leek was back in front at 15-10.
On 30 minutes Leek was attacking again when Will Midwinter fell awkwardly from a high pass. It looked serious at first but after a minute’s physio, he was back on the pitch. However, it was Joe Byrne that slotted a 32nd minute penalty after Anselmians were caught slowing the ball at the breakdown. 18-10.
As the half was ending Leek lost the ball on the As 22 and the centre collected and ran nearly the full length of the pitch. Joe Byrne gathered him in on Leek’s 5 metre line but then Scott Rawlings was yellow carded for coming in at the side. The resulting lineout on the 5 metres led to the maul drive and a blindside move with a try in the left corner. The conversion missed and the half time whistle blew with Leek leading 18-15.

5 minutes into the 2nd half with Leek increasingly positive in attack, a dropped ball in midfield and an unfortunate kick led to a pickup by the As centre and he ran in unopposed between the posts for a try. The conversion was good and As led for the first time at 18-22.
Still Leek was more than holding its own and on 52 minutes Jack Newton Taylor scored his 2nd try on the right after a lineout in the As 22 on the left. The maul sucked the forward defence in and again good patience before the ball was moved wide and the full back crashed over for a score with defenders trying to cling on. Will Midwinter’s conversion was good, and Leek retook the lead at 25-22.
Then came the try of the match on 60 minutes. Leek ran the ball out of their own 22 on the right with Rawlings and Midwinter combining before Tom Hayes supported and sprinted cleardown the line. He’s quick for a lock and strong and his inside ball out of the tackle to Joe Gorman bounced as the No.8 sprinted to gather off the bounce at full speed. Gather he did, and then it was under the posts for a spectacular score, and bonus point try. Will Midwinter converted and Leek increased its lead to 32-22.
A quarter to go and the home side looked strong, but the visitors hit back almost immediately with a forwards try from a lineout maul on 63 minutes. The conversion was good, and the score moved to 32-29.
2 minutes later and Leek had a chance to score with a penalty, but the lineout didn’t work and As cleared.
On 69 minutes the final score went the way of Anselmians as their back division moved the ball with the inclusion of the full back. Good hands and an overlap saw the ball over the Leek line. The conversion was good and at 32-36, the game had 10 minutes to go and although Leek pressed, it wasn’t to be as the As kicked the ball off the pitch to end what had been a great game of rugby.

No disgrace for the Leek boys and indeed disappointment that they didn’t win, but 2 points picked up actually moved the Moorlanders up from 5th to 3rd as the other 5 winners from last week all lost. It leaves Anselmians as the only undefeated side with 2 points separating 2nd and 11th place.
Bowdon won at Manchester, Derby beat Burton, Stockport beat Rochdale and Blackburn beat Wirral. Huddersfield came back from their defeat to Anselmians last week to defeat Leek’s next opponents Long Eaton. KO in Notts is 3pm next Saturday.

Great away wins for the 2s and 3s in the league means the clubs’ senior teams have all started well and with the Colts playing in a tournament at Burton and giving a good account of themselves, there is a lot of optimism that there is more to come from the Moorlanders this season.

Author: J.McDermott