Davies strikes late on as the Tykes get off bottom
PHIL Davies hailed his side’s mentality to come from behind in dramatic circumstances, securing an invaluable 27-25 victory. The victory lifts the Sycamores side off the foot of the National One table.
In blustery conditions, neither side were able to gain the ascendancy with handling errors aplenty during this fixture.
Kieran Davies missed an early penalty just before the visitors were reduced to 14.
Nicholas Foster was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on as the Tykes had an overlap.
Davies atoned for his earlier error with an enormous goal-line dropout.
This gave the Tykes territory as they earned a penalty deep inside the Blackheath half.
They went to the corner and scored from a set-play, with Harry Jukes diving over. It wasn’t a day for the kickers, the try going unconverted.
The score was doubled to 10-0 when Dixon also went over in the corner as the Tykes this time made effective use of an overlap.
Frederick Gabbitass grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck to get his side on the scoreboard.
He scored a simple penalty when Leeds were caught offside, before creating his side’s opening try with a deft cross-field kick.
The onrushing Tykes defender failed to secure possession as the returning Foster grounded it in a corner.
Just when the visitors thought they were within touching distance at the interval, ill-discipline gave Leeds territory and Xavier Valentine dived over from a driving maul at the line-out.
Davies found his range to make the score 17-8 at the half-time break.
Blackheath started the second half well, reducing the deficit through Danny Dass, who was the beneficiary of some weak defence on the short side; 17-13 as the conversion bounced off a post.
The Londoners conceded further ground after a series of penalties for off feet at the breakdown.
A wave of Leeds pressure eventually saw Trystan Lloyd barge over out wide to secure a try bonus point, again
unconverted.
Nathan Morris scored to get Blackheath sensing a late victory after good work from the forwards.
Somehow, Leeds managed to charge down the conversion to restrict the damage to 22-18.
Steve Leonard thought he had won the game for Blackheath as Leeds were made to pay for not clearing their lines.
The visitors added the conversion to go ahead for the first time in the match at 22-25.
However, Blackheath were penalised as they prevented quick ball and Leeds cleared to touch. In the last moments, the Leeds attack was relentless, eventually creating space out wide for Davies to dive over and send the crowd into raptures.
The relief was palpable as the significance of that win cannot be understated for the Yorkshiremen.