LEEK 1ST XV vs STAFFORD 1ST XV. 14TH SEPTEMBER 2019. LEAGUE MATCH.

Stafford travelled to Esterchem Park for the first league game of the new season. The last five times that the teams had met in the league, both home & away, had Leek very much with the upper hand boasting seven wins, one draw and two losses. With it being the first game of the season and playing away from home Stafford were always going to have a difficult afternoon, mindful that their last away league win against Leek had been back in 2007/08 season.

A Leek penalty in the first five minutes opened the scoring for the game giving the hosts a very early lead. Securing the subsequent restart ball, a savage assault from Stafford ended with the home side being temporarily being reduced to fourteen through a yellow card due to some over zealous defending. With the line in sight, the visitors launched a series of bruising attacks ending in Carl Williams grounding the ball for a try, converted by Christian Ureche. With a full compliment back on the pitch the Leek forwards just had the edge of a competitive Stafford pack and the set piece built a solid hunting ground for the North Staffordshire side. A succession of penalties added to the pressure and the rumbling set of opposition forwards eventually bullied their way across the line for a try. The referee’s attention was in constant demand, two successive yellow cards temporarily reduced Stafford to thirteen and despite some tenacious defending, Leek eventually found their way across the line for a second try. Stafford went into half time trailing by 13 – 7 but still within a one score touching distance due to a couple of missed conversions by the hosts.

Stafford were restored to a full fifteen early in the second half and were able to settle back into their game plan. Keeping the tempo high the visitors smashed into every contact, denting a very solid defence. Several phases of savage rugby were merciless enough to stretch the defence until Gareth “Obi” Ley was propelled over by his team mates for a try, Christian Ureche adding the conversion for a slender one-point lead. Both teams continued to skirmish ferociously and a particularly over exuberant clash earned a second yellow for a Leek player, which was converted to a red and then Stafford securing their own red for the response to the incident. With both sets of forwards reduced by one and the teams down to fourteen the referee was still constantly in demand to interpret the laws of the game. The Stafford shape was temporarily disrupted when Christian Ureche came off injured and the match descended into a very disjointed affair as the referee’s whistle could be heard from all areas of the pitch. The visitors were generally on the wrong side of the infringements and the period ended in a Leek penalty to retake the lead. The Stafford response was immediate with the bullish forwards spoiling the restart catch and bundling the home side off the field to earn a line out. A solid catch with quick ball unleashed the pacing Stafford back line who took the ball through the hands, leaving Leek to stand and watch as Jerry Qasenivalu tore down the wing for the try. With a slender three point lead the visitors weren’t allowed to settle as Leek searched for the equaliser. An injury to Alex Rock added to the pressure when Stafford looked at what was left on the bench and Stephen Frost had to step forward for cover on the wing. A subsequent Leek penalty bough the scores back together to tie the game. With ten minutes left on the clock the referee penalised a succession of infringements to gift the home side territory and bring the hosts back within striking distance. With time rapidly leaking from the clock the ball spiralled between the posts for Leek to establish a three-point lead and the home crowd celebrated as the game was virtually won. Stafford had other ideas and from the restart tore down the field, scrapping savagely to secure the ball out of grasping Leek clutches. The visitors launched a series of punishing attacks which the home side were equally ferocious in repelling. With the clock in the red, a final surge allowed Carl Williams to batter his way over for the winning try of the game, converted by Louis Dewsbury. The visiting fans erupted as the county town side secured all five points from the first game of the season.