Pontefract played hosts to West Leeds in this week’s Yorkshire 2 clash. The boys in blue and white were keen to play against the current league leaders.
Pontefract were the first team to affect the scoreboard when Glenn Boyd, having made a kicking tee out of mud, nonchalantly slotted a penalty to make it 3-0 to the home side. Following this there was a passage of physical play from both sides. West Leeds were the next side to add points to their tally. With a pushover try, the visitors made it 5-3 in their favour.
Five minutes later, from a lineout, Pontefract’s backs showed great flair and executed one of their set moves. Fast hands moved the ball wide to Richard Dedicoat. He used good feet to create space and ran over his opposition to score the try. This went unconverted and Pontefract regained the lead – 8-5 to Pontefract.
The next try was Pontefract’s. After some fast and effective build- up play, the ball found its way to captain Craig Fawcett in the centres. The skipper looked up and noticed there was space behind the wings. He dinked a cross-field kick over the top to none other than Richard Scott, left lock. Scott gathered the ball up and bundled over the line for five points. The try was reminiscent of Ali Williams scoring for Toulon against Bordeaux in 2013. Glenn Boyd added the extras to take Pontefract into the lead at 15-10.
Pontefract had carried the ball well throughout the game. Jonny Hill was steaming at the opposition in the first half and Jonny Burrows was using his physicality from number 8. It was from one of these characteristic charges that Burrows was able to create space for Fawcett to run in to. Fawcett rolled back the years, ironically as he was turning 30 on the following day, and raced home from the halfway line to score a brilliant try – 22-10 to Pontefract.
Later in the second half, West Leeds scored two tries. The first brought the score to 22-15 as it was unconverted. Pontefract seized the initiative when they were awarded a penalty, choosing three points to extend their lead to ten points. Louis Brown confidently added the three. West Leeds narrowed the gap between the sides with another try which was also converted – 25-22 to Pontefract as the game was drawing to a close.
At the end of injury time, as ‘tempus fugit’, West Leeds were awarded a penalty kick near to the halfway line. The opposition fly half defied the odds to convert the goal, earning his team 3 points and a draw.
Pontefract will look ahead to the next fixture against Sheffield Medicals.