Goggsy, the Pack and the Children...

Confidence
By Mark_C
November 29 2005

I wandered into the freezing cold Rec with a hint of optimism in my head. For the first time this season we'd got an unchanged side, Bath were missing most of their leading lights to international duties; surely tonight could be the night?

Even the fact that my seat was right in the far corner of the ground didn't
disillusion me. I barely noticed the queue for the gents as I downed another
pint of cider, WE WERE GOING TO WIN!!

The teams came out and we tried to great the Tykes with a resounding (for about
a couple of dozen of us anyway!) roar: "COME ON YEW TYKES!!", "YORKSHIRE,
YORKSHIRE!!", and then it all seemed to go horribly wrong as we went three
penalties down in what seemed to me like a matter of moments but to my
ever-contracting bladder a lifetime. Once more, the lineout was faltering and
Bath were capitalising on each misdemeanor.

Goggsy, who was on fine form tonight, restored a bit of Northern Pride with a
well struck penalty midway through the half before Malone gave Bath their 9
point lead back with another penalty and I began to groan. Not another West
Country mauling coming up, surely? Nobody in the ground was to know that this
was to be the end of the home-team's scoring, however, and  the Tykes were
coming off a one-match roll not preparing to give up lightly. A beautiful move
saw Andre Snyman evade the tag-like Bath defence to score yet another try
against Bath, and in the first half too! Ross slotted over the conversion and
shortly afterwards landed another threepointer to take the Tykes into a most
unexpected but welcome 13-12 lead at half-time.

The air temperature could be gauged by the queues for the gents during the
break, even the cider had frozen in the pipes! Managed to get a nice cold
lager(!) and retook my place for the second half.

I'm not sure what the team-talks were for both sides at half-time, but judging
by the performance they were similar to that given in the corresponding game
last season.
Bath played some flowing rugby, but their ball moved crablike from side to side
with little or no penetration (must be something to do with the cold night air
again!!). Leeds defence was awesome, making up for the paucity of the lineout
ball with tenacity in the tackle. 13 men strung across the pitch and two
sweepers, soccer style, countered anything that Bath could offer and indeed on
one of the rare forays into the Bath half another Goggs penalty further extended
the Tykes lead. In fact the defence even swept up a gear in the final minutes
when Tom Palmer was binned and the host's lineouts were stoutly pushed back by
the magic 14. Everybody was keeping an eagle eye on the countdown clock (not
now, Carol!), and RDM ran the final play into touch to give the boys a well
earned, and not totally unexpected win.

WE'RE ON A ROLL NOW!! WE WERE OFF THE BOTTOM FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS!!

Everybody in a Tykes shirt was a hero on Friday. It would be unfair to pick out
too many people but life isn't fair so here goes

Marshall did just that, what a great player he is
Goggsy showed again that when he plays with confidence he lifts the whole team
Chris Jones, who said he can't tackle?
And then there was all the pack and then there was the children and then there
was RDM who didn't put a foot wrong all night and then there was Andre Snyman
the 'Try Machine'!

'Twas with a sore throat and an ache in my bladder that I wound my way from the
ground - I do like Bath, long may they stay at the Rec!

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