Rob McDermott was back in the side at full back with Kin Critchlow and Alex Fitzmaurice James on the wings. Josh Nadin and Will Midwinter were in the centre and Joe Byrne and Scott Rawlings at half back. Joe Newton Taylor, Ed Cheadle and Lewis Dunleavy started in the front row with Joel Booth and Tom Hayes at lock. Joe Gorman was at No.8 and George Hunt and Ollie Powell were on the flanks.
Joel Hine, Billy Kidd and Sam Brereton were on the bench.

With 12 minutes played in this game, a critical incident took place when the Huddersfield hooker was red carded for a dangerous tackle on AFJ. Leek’s first real possession, already 12-0 down, was summarily stopped in an illegal manner, with the front row forward making no attempt to tackle safely, and as the players from both sides converged on the tackle area, the situation threatened to get out of hand. Thankfully, it didn’t, and the 2 walked from the field. From the resulting penalty, Leek kicked for the lineout on the right and then Joe Byrne jinked his way over for a try. Will Midwinter converted and Leek were back in the game at 12-7 on 14 minutes or so they may have thought.
For what happened in the remaining 70 minutes or so of the match was a masterclass of power, precision, support and pace by the home side which clocked up 10 further tries despite having only 14 men on the pitch and twice later would be reduced to 13 men.

The first time the team was reduced to 13 men was on 33 minutes. Already leading at this point, 33-7, almost a carbon copy of the first dangerous tackle occurred as Will Midwinter sprinted to the Huddersfield 22. As he arrived there, the prop, making no discernible attempt to hinge for the tackle, caught Will face on face as the centre started to slip. The contact was spotted immediately by referee Sam Potts who blew instantly. Deeming the slip was a mitigating circumstance, this player received a yellow, but Will’s afternoon was done as he arrived in hospital to find out he had fractured an eye socket in 3 places and fractured his cheek bone.

Even with 13 men, Huddersfield continued to dominate the game with Leek only rarely offering attacking positions from which the home defence stopped every opportunity and sometimes intercepting to score or forcing errors on the Moorlanders.

A final play try from Billy Kidd from good continuity was little satisfaction for the visitors who will know they came up against a side that may have played at their peak because of the earlier incidents.

It was a difficult watch and a far more difficult game to play in for the Leek players. However, they will have learned a lot and hopefully both they and the coaching team will remain philosophical about the performance and what they can take from it.

Leek had managed to open up an 8-point gap to Bowdon in 6th place before this weekend, but the promoted side won at Stockport on Saturday to move within 3 points of Leek. Anselmians won at Wirral, with Derby and Manchester drawing. Rochdale beat Long Eaton and Burton beat Blackburn.

Leek travels to Blackburn this Saturday and will be hoping to bounce back with a good week of training and a positive response on the field.

Leek 2s lost at home in a close game with Luctonians 32 by 10-12 but the 3s cemented top spot in Nowirul League 5 by beating Carrington 62-7. Marple 2s lost at Broughton Park 3s, so Leek 3s open up a 5-point lead at the top but Marple still has a game in hand.

Leek Colts game on Friday evening v Stafford was postponed as the pitch was still frozen.

Report Author: J.McDermott