Hill slides in for win

By Jason Harris
December 30 2002

A try just before half time from England back row forward Richard Hill proved to be the difference between two sides struggling to cope with the wet and blustery conditions at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Saracens won the match 11-6 thanks to the Hill try and a penalty goal apiece from Adryan Winnan and Andy Goode. Leeds' points came from the boot of Braam van Straaten who has now topped 200 points so far this season.

Thanks to the poor conditions and referee Robin Goodliffe allowing far too much nonsense on the floor, the game was ruined as a spectacle.

When the ball was held on to by the attacking side, the defending side more often than not joined in and got away with it for the entire 80 minutes.

Both sides were guilty of spoiling tactics and the match degenerated into a procession of set pieces.

Saracens had the upper hand for the first quarter, yet their forward dominance proved fruitless as the scorers were not to be troubled by either side.

Indeed, it was Leeds that opened the scoring on 26 minutes when Van Straaten kicked his first goal.

Sarries kept pressing with superb conributions from Chesney and Marsters, but slow ruck ball and passes put down in the slippery conditions meant that they could not cross the opposition goal line.

Saracens took the lead right on the half time whistle. A forward charge by Benazzi set the ball up just inside the Leeds 22. The ball was passed to Califano who swivelled his upper body to send out a sublime pass to Hill who raced in at the corner. The conversion was missed by Winnan, but the Men in Black were ahead at the break, 5-3.

More set piece snoredom followed after the break as both sides tried and failed to break each other down.

Sarries gave Leeds ample oppurtunity to counter-attack thanks to some wayward line kicking, but the weather and the slowing tactics of the fowards meant that there was never going to be any headway made.

Goode and Van Straaten exchanged late penalties, the latter netting a losing bonus points for the visitors, but the game, though tough and close, never really caught alight.

Wayne Shelford was very pleased after his side moved into seventh place in the table and said

"When you grind out a win like that, you just thank your lucky stars you get points early.

"It didn't look like either side would score in the second half other than from kicks at goal.

"I'm very pleased with the four points and to move up the ladder again."