Leeds limit Lymm
Leeds Tykes returned to bonus point-winning ways ahead of what will be their biggest challenge of the season when Rotherham visit The Sycamores next week.
The match against Lymm was a very fast affair thanks to the 4G pitch. The Tykes were out of the blocks quickest. Charlie Friend opened the scoring with his first try for his club when he grounded the ball after a catch and drive from a line-out on the 22m line. Seremaia Bai Turagabeci’s conversion was successful.
Minutes later, Lymm thought they had scored. It wasn’t to be as their final pass was deemed to have been forward. They nearly broke away to score in the next play of the match. Pete Lucock put in a precise tackle to stop the Lymm player from getting through a gap in Leeds’ defence.
Adam Brown scored the league leaders’ second try from a catch and drive. Will Hardwick made it three when he dived over the line after the ball came out of another catch and drive. Turagabeci added the extras.
Harry Jukes nearly scored his side’s fourth try, but he was nudged into touch short of the line. Tom Williams ran in the bonus point try when the ball was passed to him after a quick tap penalty. Turagabeci converted.
Just before half-time, Lucas Walsh weaved passed a few defenders to score a converted try.
Lymm opened the scoring in the second half. It was the first real period of pressure from them, despite having had plenty of possession in the first forty minutes. They kicked a massive 50/22 and were awarded a couple of penalties before Matthew Hand scored from a catch and drive. Thomas Shard’s conversion was successful.
The home side continued to attack. Charlie Friend, who made his presence felt all match, charged the ball down and was rewarded with it smacking him full-on in his face.
The Tyke’s sixth try came from a Turagabeci break. He passed to Hardwick who scampered over the line.
Callum Morris scored a converted try for the Cheshire outfit when they took a tap penalty from their opponent’s 5m line.
Jordan Cordice was given a yellow card. The away supporters called for one for Lymm when Mounsey was high-tackled as he danced around the opposition at the end of a long run. And, again, later when Ben Dixon looked to have been tip-tackled.
Henry Macnab showed quick thinking and fast feet when a Lymm kick to touch for a penalty rolled into the in-goal area. He scored Leeds’ final try; Hardwick broke from between his own 22 and10 metre lines. Macnab was running outside of him and had to slow down before he could take the ball to run into the corner to score.
The match got a bit scrappy. The ball went from team to team and was bogged down between both 10m lines. Lymm took advantage of some handling errors and penalties by Leeds. Gavin Woods scored their third try, and final score of the match, from a catch and drive. Thomas Shard nailed a difficult conversion.
Speaking after the match, Director of Rugby, Pete Seabourne said: “Another good away win at a difficult place to play. We looked good and organised after the first twenty minutes and got three tries. It got bitty and we became slightly disorganised.
“We got to half-time and tweaked a few things, making changes to make sure all the players walked off in one piece for next week’s big game against Rotherham.
“Hopefully we’ll have a big crowd like we did against Wharfedale, get a good vibe going and, hopefully, do a good job. It’s going to be a tough game as the top two sides, both unbeaten meet. I can’t wait.”
Final score 21-43
(HT 0-33)
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