Leek Push League Leaders All The Way

Saturday 9th December 2023

Regional 1 Northwest

Leek 19

Rossendale 34

On a windswept and eventually rainswept afternoon at Altrad Park, the Moorlanders gave the league leaders a real fright, holding them at 19 all with 11 minutes remaining before a penalty and two late tries ended the spirited home performance.
It was a fantastic effort and one which can only derive confidence and motivation in the squad for the challenges ahead in the battle to retain level 5 status this season.

The Leek backs were shuffled this week with Rob McDermott at full back and Sam Brereton and Kin Critchlow on the wings. Experienced duo, Jack Newton Taylor and James Floyd were in the centre and Joe Byrne and Will Midwinter were at half back. The front row comprised Ollie Powell, skipper Ed Cheadle and Lee Williams. Joel Booth and Danny Griffin were at lock. Tom Hayes moved to the flank as Joe Gorman returned at No.8 and Billy Kidd made up the back row.
Will Hill, Noah Reaney and new man Driss Chouhailbi, lately of Stafford and formerly of Uttoxeter, were primed to join the fray later.

The game kicked off in the relative calm on a playing surface that remained quite firm despite the amount of rain that had already fallen and was about to fall during the middle half of the game. Whereas in the return fixture in September, on the hottest day of the year with the mercury at 30 degrees and Rossendale were 21-0 up after 15 minutes, the game in this period today was largely played out in midfield with the Moorlanders enjoying as much possession and territory as their visitors. Then on 15 minutes, flanker John Tuia broke through the middle and into the 22nd and a couple of offloads later and the flanker went over for a try on the left. The conversion was good, and Rossendale led 0-7. 6 minutes later and Rossendale’s new Sale academy winger looked to have scored in the left corner but had just put a foot in touch in the tackle. Still Leek was penned in their own 22 and conceding a penalty, Rossendale went for the lineout and after a good catch and drive, the forwards crashed over for their 2nd try. The conversion on 18 minutes lifted the score to 0-14.
Still Leek was trying to run the ball and compete with each opposite man in turn and with superb handling they were finding some gaps and getting into some good positions before on 30 minutes, Jack Newton Taylor was high tackled, and Leek opted for a lineout on Rossendale’s 5 metre line. The line worked well all afternoon for Leek and after Billy Kidd’s catch, the forwards drove over with Joel Booth on the ball. A deserved try which Will Midwinter just failed to convert, hitting the post, drew Leek their first points at 5-14.
Then on 35 minutes, from just inside his own half, Will Midwinter cleared downfield to the Rossendale 22. The referee blew his whistle as the full back collected the ball, having spotted the prop pulling back Will after his kick and awarding the penalty where the ball alighted. The prop was yellow carded and after a similar lineout on the left and another penalty for not releasing, the next lineout gave Leek’s forwards the momentum. It became a series of rucks before Ollie Powell was stopped a metre from the line and he was deemed to have held on and Rossendale cleared for half time.

Leek 5 – 14 Rossendale

Driss Chouhailbi came on at the half in the backrow, as the rain now started to come down heavily and aided by a strong wing swirling around, all players are to be congratulated on their ball handling skills. The next score came on 52 minutes, and it was for Leek as they drilled a kick to the Rossendale 5 metre line on the right. The line didn’t work again for the visitors and Leek came up with the ball on the floor. Getting almost to the line, this time the ball was passed out and after a tackle, Will Midwinter stepped on the gas, made a good sidestep and went in under the posts. His conversion was good and at 12-14, Leek was very much in this game and mentally were in the “ we can win this” mind frame.
It took until the 59th minute for Rossendale to assert some control in the 2nd half, as they worked their way down the right-hand side and into Leek’s 22. Opting to scrum on the 5 metre line, a pass blind and a score in the corner settled the nerves. The conversion was missed but at 14-19 with the final quarter starting, it was still a game that the Moorlanders were very much in.
Rossendale’s backs were trying to run the ball from their own 22 on 70 minutes – something which they are adept at normally, but a poor pass went through the legs of the centre and James Floyd tapped the ball on before dropping down on it with control to add Leek’s 3rd try. The home crowd went wild as Will Midwinter drew the Moorlanders level at 19 all.
Rossendale tried to move up a gear in the poor weather and with the fly half working hard to draw the defenders in, space was created for the flankers to take the ball on and then out wide a try was scored on 74 minutes. The conversion missed. 19-24. It was do or die now for Leek, but their handling just started to lose its edge as tiredness kicked in and from a scrum on the Leek 22, the Leek front row was penalised and the option to kick for goal told you all you needed to know about the threat Leek had been all game. The penalty was good and lifted Rossendale to an 8 point, 19-27 lead with 5 minutes to go.
Rossendale score again on 83 minutes as their fitness proved once again why they are the team to beat in this league. The conversion was good and at 19-34, Leek had 2 minutes to win a bonus point try. They showed great courage in retaining possession in their own half and once again worked a good position and won a penalty, but Joe Byrne couldn’t find the touch needed and the game ended in disappointment for Leek at not securing, what would have been, their first try bonus point of the season.

Nevertheless, it had been, probably, the best performance of the season, considering the strength of the opposition and despite dropping to 10th place with Penrith and Anselmians both winning, Leek is in a lower half table battle with 5 other teams, and it will be a very competitive 2nd half of a season to be following.

Please come and support the guys away next week, as they take on Wirral for the final game of 2023.

A note about the 2nds which had a fantastic away win at Cleobury Mortimer on Saturday. Despite skipper Andy Thompson unable to play, the squad made the longest trip of their season and came away with a 22-24 win to lift them up to 3rd place in Midlands 3 West (N).

Then, don’t forget Boxing Day – the annual 3rds v Vets game kicks off at 11:00am, but please be down for 10:00am with your kit.

Leek’s first fixture in 2024, sees them on the road again with a trip to Blackburn on January 6th. No rest for the wicked then!

Author:
John McDermott