Match report 9 November

Tykes tumble to table-toppers

Lymm maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors’ unblemished start.

The high-scoring affair lived up to its pre-game billing. Both sides put on an exhibition of attacking rugby for the bumper crowd in the leafy Cheshire suburbs. 

Leeds opened the match with time in Lymm’s half. One attack broke down close to the try-line when the ball was knocked on in close contact. This set the scene for many encouraging periods of play that ended with handling errors. James Magee was lively; running up the wing or making breaks in the field until he had to come off ahead of half-time.

The Tykes continued to take the opening of the game by the horns; Seremaia Bai Turagabeci showed great vision to spot an overlap with winger Charlie Hudson collecting his delicately weighted kick to dot down unopposed. The fly-half missed his touchline conversion, in what proved to be a tight encounter. 

In a three-minute salvo, Lymm hit the front, firstly through the rolling maul with Rob Makin scoring. The conversion was missed, but Lymm were not to be outdone and immediately put their foot to the throttle. The outside backs went on a rampage with Paddy Jennings showing the Leeds’ backline a clean pair of heels, allowing Toby Wilson to score in style. Sam Wadsworth found the target this time to give Lymm a deserved lead. 

Lucas Walsh was the fall guy as he became the victim of his sides’ cumulative ill-discipline, being yellow-carded after 24 minutes. 

Leeds then found themselves in a spell where they could not get hold of the ball. Lymm were in the ascendancy. Knowing the game would be close, Lymm opted to take a penalty to give themselves a 10-point cushion. Matt Buke put in a try-saving tackle when Lymm broke from deep in their own half, racing toward the Leeds’ line. Within a minute, the ball was at the right end of the pitch as far as the West Yorkshire outfit was concerned as the away side hit back through captain Adam Brown, Turagabeci converting to cut the deficit.  

Having been gifted plenty of space, instrumental fly-half Wadsworth got himself over for a deserved score, missing the subsequent conversion to get Lymm into the 20s. 

Leeds came immediately back on the stroke of half-time, their endeavours rewarded with a penalty try as outside centre Stephen Pilkington was given a yellow for a deliberate knock-on, while Leeds had an obvious overlap.  

The second half was tense, with both sides clearly aware of the mental boost a victory would bring. Leeds were camped inside Lymm’s 5m area but were unable to convert possession into points. At the start of the final quarter of the match, Wadsworth scored another three points. 

Leeds players and supporters alike, screamed for another penalty try when Jennings was given a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. A penalty was awarded. All too quickly, Leeds were back to defending and an attempted try by Lymm was held up. From the subsequent drop-out, full-back Nathan Beesley cut through the Tykes’ defence, like a knife through butter. The bonus point score sent the home crowd into jubilation. 

Knowing the relative importance of the occasion, Leeds were determined not to roll over, keeping their heads to play to the last. With the final play, they had the composure to kick to touch, driving over from the subsequent maul. Substitute Eddie Brown was the scorer, with Turagabeci converting to give Leeds a valuable two points in defeat. 

Lymm coach Andrew Davis spoke to Ben Cropper for The Rugby Paper report saying: “We knew the game was going to be close and so it proved. It was down to a few calls and bounces of the ball here and there. We are just delighted with the win and continue to ride high after a great start for everyone connected to the club.”

Speaking after the match, Head Coach Pete Lucock said: “Poor discipline in the first half put us under unnecessary pressure. We didn’t really learn in the 1st half, we defended much of it. When we moved the ball, we scored some nice tries in the first half.

“In the second half we built some nice pressure. However, we didn’t get back into the game after we’d built some momentum when we had a free-kick awarded against us after we knocked-on in an attacking scrum in the wide 5m area.

“Lymm are unbeaten and at the top of the table for a reason. We were nowhere near our best.”

Director of Rugby, Pete Seabourne, added: “I’m disappointed, obviously with the result, but overall we’ve come away with 2 points, which is pleasing. Lymm are a very good side; definitely at home on the 3G pitch.

“We need to be better in some facets of the game. I thought we played well in parts and then we got a little bitty and got drawn into a bit of the battle. We did create enough chances to win the game but we didn’t take them.

“As we found out last year, it’s a long, long season. It’s not a short race, so we’ll see where we are in a few weeks.”