Leek pegged back in title change after Walsall loss
LEEK succumbed to just their second league defeat of the season in the top-of-the table clash with Walsall at Delves Road on Saturday.
However, the losing bonus point was some consolation as Leek held on to top spot with Walsall closing to within three points.
The backs remained as for last week’s encounter with Stafford. Dan Needham and Liam Mcdermott were at half back. Rob Mcdermott and James Floyd in the centre with Joe Byrne, Sam Brereton and Jack Newton Taylor making up the back three.
The pack was changing with Luke Hardern coming in at lock to partner Joel Booth. Joel Hine, Ollie Powell and returning George Hunt were in the back row. Joe Newton Taylor, Ed and Bobby Cheadle made up the front row.
Lee Williams, Tom Scragg and returning from a long absence Luke Staton made up the bench.
It was a very windy afternoon as Walsall kicked off with the wind advantage into Leek’s bottom right corner.
The opening quarter was a superb spectacle of two top teams having a go at each other through forwards and backs as both sides made light work of the conditions.
If anything, Leek edged the possession in the opening quarter, keeping Walsall to mainly midfield attacking options before a slick move on the right, left the lock with a clear run to the right corner until Joe Byrne came across to put in a magnificent try saving tackle. However, the pressure mounted from the scrum and good ball retention had Walsall going blind again with an overlap to open the scoring on 25 minutes. The conversion went wide.
Walsall started to dominate territory now as they became more adventurous but still came up against a dogged and tough Leek defence.
The next Walsall score came after pressure on Leek’s fivemetre line allowed the scrum half to find his way near to the Leek line and then quick ball saw the hosts score near the posts. The conversion was missed but Walsall had doubled their lead.
Leek needed to steady the ship and not concede another before half time, and all was going well until a late penalty for not rolling away allowed the chance for the simple goal to be converted and the half ended at 13–0 to Walsall.
Weather conditions in the second half didn’t change, so Leek knew they were still well in the game and they needed to turn that advantage into points and sure enough they extracted penalties from the home side which saw Leek opt to have lineouts in the 22.
On 52 minutes, one such lineout turned into the successful maul drive from which Joel Booth crashed over in the left corner to get Leek on the board. The conversion from Liam Mcdermott just missed.
10 minutes later, Leek were probing again. The lineout led to rucks near the Walsall line and despite ferocious defending, Joe Newtontaylor finally crashed over for Leek’s second. This time, Mcdermott’s conversion was good and it became a onepoint game at 13-12.
Leek continued to hold possession and territory with Walsall sporadically, as Leek in the first half, getting few opportunities to attack dangerously, but Leek were winning penalties again in the right area.
With the final quarter starting, Leek made a decision to go for a lineout in the Walsall 22 when a shot at goal was possible.
This happened again on 65 minutes and neither move ended with a Leek score as Walsall defended for their lives and Leek couldn’t control the ball over the line.
A Walsall yellow card with seven minutes to go could have been another game changer but it was the home side that then started to wrest the initiative from Leek and a kick ahead led to a five-metre scrum from which Walsall’s forwards rucked their way to the line and a score with the last play of the game.
The successful conversion would have cost Leek the bonus point, but it sailed just wide and the game ended there after a titanic battle.
Walsall deserved their win and Leek just failed to match their hosts. Both squads are to be congratulated on a fine afternoon’s entertainment and both now move on to the last seven league fixtures with all to play for.
Walsall travel to Stafford this Saturday as Leek complete their third successive match on the road with the short trip to old rivals Longton.
Moseley Oak kept up the pressure on the top two with a win against Camp Hill as Crewe and Nantwich beat Longton.
The week after, February 26, is a free Saturday for most, but Moseley Oak receive Stafford for their re-arranged fixture, before the Birmingham side travel to Leek on March 3.