Carnegie Kids Batter Exiles!
Lemonhead hits town!
By PorthosTyke
October 9 2011
The Orange Tree is an ordinary pub on an ordinary road in Richmond. Butat 1:30 on Saturday 8th October a passer-by would have noticed somethinga little out of the ordinary. For at that moment the Orange Treecontained a number of people drinking beer (not unusual) and wearingday-glo yellow hats (unusual)......
This throng of Tykes followers, many of whom bore the scars of the Penzance trip, were not exactly in optimistic mood. Recent results meant that there was gloom in the camp, but all were determined to get down to the ground and lend as much support as possible to the team. And probably to drink some beer too. ConstanceTyke was making her first visit to a game. She was presented with a day-glo yellow hat outside the Orange Tree. A touching scene.
London Scottish play at the Richmond Athletic Ground, a facility they share with Richmond. When we arrived there were games in progress on many pitches, spreading all around. Leeds, we were told, would be playing on the main pitch.
As we entered the PA announcer was started to read the Leeds team. Cheering the names, it emerged that the stand contained quite a lot of the Tykes faithful. Scottish certainly discovered that Leeds were in town. The presence of the Goole Under 15s team (in fancy dress) added to the Leeds support; they were to play London Welsh the following day.
There were bagpipes too. Oh yes. It was unclear what tune, if any, the piper was playing. Scottish locals did not know either and expressed the view that the playing usually deteriorated as the hip flask emptied.
ConstanceTyke was dispatched to the bar with the Lardies Beer Carrier (she wishes it to be known that she drank pints throughout and kept pace with the veterans) just as the teams emerged. My notes on the game are sketchy because it is not easy to take notes while holding beer, but here goes.
Scottish kicked off and Leeds ran the ball back at them. Things looked promising from the start. Shaw was making good quick passes and there was never a shortage of willing runners. After just three minutes Rowan made a break and put Blackett in the clear. Under the posts, Ford kick, 7-0.
After the restart play was mainly between the 22s for the next ten minutes. Scottish showed that any penalty in the Leeds half would be a shot at goal, and missed their first after 12 minutes. When they ran the ball they threw too many wild passes, and Leeds were well able to deal with any threats. Penalties were their best bet for a score, and the first came on 20 minutes after Leeds were penalised at a scrum. 7-3.
Again, the next ten minutes were spent between the 22s with neither side able to make a clean break. Scottish missed a penalty on 28 minutes, but were successful five minutes later to make it 7-6.
Scottish sneaked the ball after the restart but soon lost it on half way. Shaw found Beck who rampaged off down the field. Bell sprinted after him, took the inside pass and strolled over. A missed conversion left things at 12-6.
Leeds were caught offside at the last play of the first half and (guess what?) Scottish went for goal. Mugford made no mistake and the teams went in with Leeds 12-9 ahead.
It now emerged that beer was available in four pint jugs. So AramisTyke was dispatched. ConstanceTyke disappeared to investigate free wine samples available in a hut at one end of the ground; it wasn't very good wine, apparently.
The second half started with Big Mac making his first appearance. And what a difference he made. Scottish started to have a hard time in the scrum, and kept discovering large Americans when they tried to roll a maul.
Mac, of course, plays on the wing most of the time, and it was there that he popped up two minutes into the half. He made the break, flung the ball to Beck who was off on the rampage again. A bad conversion miss by Ford, but Leeds were looking almost comfortable at 17-9. An excellent sign was the senior players, Burrows and Stephenson to the fore, organising their young colleagues as the teams got going again.
The expected period of whiff whaff now developed, and AramisTyke and I took to plane spotting as the steady stream of Heathrow arrivals passed by. The piper piped up again too, but there we are.
Suddenly the whiff whaff ended and a Scot was in the clear and running at the Leeds line. No-one to stop him and he went under the posts. The easy conversion made it 17-16 and things were less comfortable. Twenty five minutes to go.
Bell calmed Leeds nerves with a long range penalty almost immediately after Scottish's score. 20-16. But the nerves jangled again soon after when Mac was penalised for holding on (on the wing, of course). Mugford's miss was a bad one.
Leeds now decided that attack was the best form of defence, and started to run at Scottish at every opportunity. There were half breaks, but the defence was solid. When Scottish got the ball they could find no way through the Leeds line.
With ten minutes to go Titts was running at the Scottish line and seemed to fall awkwardly when tackled. The referee did the right thing and blew up immediately. Titts was down for fully ten minutes and was clearly in a lot of pain. He left on a stretcher with his ankle heavily strapped to a splendid round of applause from all.
Freer replaced Titts for the last rites of the game. Scottish approached the Leeds line, aided by a succession of penalties. But they couldn't break the Leeds defence and their kicker wasn't kicking the goals.
At the death, Scottish were penalised for not rolling away, and Bell hoofed the kick. There was very little time left, and the referee blew up at the next break in play. Leeds had a win - 23-16.
So, Leeds played well and won. Hopefully the team can kick on from this and start to shut up the doom-mongers and nay-sayers. Scottish will be heard to beat on their own patch, but need more experience at this level. On that showing they should stay up.
So, back into the bar for a spot of refreshment. Big Mac assures me that pints of lager and cheese and onion crisps are in his training regime. Other players (those old enough, anyway) were getting outside a quick pint. And well deserved it was too.
Our thanks go to the London Scottish members and supporters who made all those in yellow hats most welcome. It really is appreciated when you come over, say hello, and point us to the bar. The beer was pretty good too. And what a change to watch a game without "supporters" shouting abuse at players and officials. Headingley, take note.
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good to back up the twatter updates with a view from the game.
Was far better than staying back watching England.
Miserati - and Proud to be!
Quote:haxbytyke
Cheers PT, thanks for a prompt and detailed account. One question though, was Ford taking the kicks at goal early on?
Ford took the early ones then Bell took over.
PT
Good report.
Suffering on the Leeds and Yorkshire roller-coaster since 2001
I enjoyed my trip to Richmond very much. The win was well deserved and apart from Titts injury and he looked to be in a lot of pain, it was a very successful day.
All the players and coaches had smiles on their faces for a change and the Leeds supporters there were vocal, loud and happy!
The Goole boys did Yorkshire proud with their Yorkshire chants and they were louder than both the London Scottish supporters and the small band of Leeds supporters put together. I’m sure all the team appreciated their support and they had photographs with the Goole boys on the pitch at the end of the game.
Blackett did a good job at 13 and Richard Beck had another good game. So did Tommy Bell. The scrum looked better again and from the start Gareth Denman (1) and Exiles Lewis Theide (3), ex Doncaster, who were front row team mates playing for Yorkshire only a few years ago were both equally determined to get the better of each other. Both were taken off at half time and Gareth had secured the bragging rights!
Big Mac looked pleased to be back, and had a couple of really good runs in the loose. I thought he was going to score a try at one point but it might have been a bit of wishful thinking on my part. He was as entertaining as ever in the bar after the game joking that he had no idea what time zone he was in! It was disappointing to see Tom Denton go off with an injury again but fingers crossed that he is ok, I think he took a knock to his knee.
Robbie Shaw did well and is clearly cementing his position in the team but I do worry that Dan White needs more game time as he didn’t get on this week or last and if Robbie gets injured Dan will be needed.
Christian Lewis Pratt and Adrian Jarvis had also come to watch the game and touch hands with their old team mates. Christian said he was enjoying his time with the England Sevens and judging by his sun tanned face he must be enjoying his rugby abroad in warmer climates.
I don’t think we have seen Ryan Burrows at his best yet. Rotherham supporters at the Rotherham game said he is fast and very dangerous in an attacking game but less threatening in defence. Well, we’ve had a number of defensive games thus far so here’s looking forward to playing some attacking rugby in the near future.
I do think the team are improving which at the moment is good enough for me. I was not a doom mongerer at the start of the season but I did say that we will be in the championship for a few seasons and at the moment I still think I am right. I’ll be very happy to be proved wrong and who knows what will happen if and when all the senior players come back to fitness. Whatever happens I just know that after a good day out in Richmond, and a good win, I set off for the long drive home with a smile on my face too!
All kickers miss and there was certainly an easier kick missed on the day.
I don't know if the author was aware as you couldn't feel it from the Grandstand but there was a significant wind blowing from left to right as you watched from the Grandstand. The box kick that went backwards and the restart that didn't go 10 were both kicked into the wind. The only successful kicks in that direction were directly in front of the posts.
LS lost the game because they allowed Leeds to score 3 tries, not by missing a kick at goal when they were more than 3 behind. (should have gone for the catch and maul anyway)
Well done on your victory.
BTW - Tommy Bell - used to play college rugby with my son - terrific player and a tremendous goal kicker
Miserati - and Proud to be!