Crocs bounce back from derby loss with win over Leos

There was never any prospect of repeating the heady excitement of last week’s attacking rugby at Old Brodleians, with both teams battling against the inclement weather in a gruelling and dour contest which, unsurprisingly, offered few scoring opportunities for the spectators who ventured down to Broomfield.

The pitch held up extremely well, in spite of the deluge, but the playing conditions were atrocious and there was, inevitably, a plethora of handling errors from both teams as they struggled to cope with the driving rain and howling wind.

Crocs, with the elements in their favour, held a narrow 5-0 advantage at the interval and, when Leos took the lead five minutes into the second half, the home support could have been forgiven for thinking that victory would prove elusive.

Instead, they defended resolutely when required and began to assert more control as the game entered the closing stages. A penalty midway through the half restored the lead and Jack Hammond’s late try sealed the hard fought victory.

Crocs were able to name the same 15 and bench that started in last week’s thrilling Calderdale derby. Having withstood some early Leos’ pressure, Crocs had the opportunity to take the lead following Joe Gallagher’s astutely judged kick over the defensive line obliging a Leos’ player to carry the ball into the in goal area and concede a five metre scrum. After several resets, the referee awarded a penalty to Crocs and they chose to nudge the ball into touch and take the line out option. Crucially, the ball wasn’t secured and Leos were able to clear their lines.

A penalty kick on ten minutes, for not releasing in the tackle, drifted wide and even though Crocs were dominating possession and territory they were unable to convert pressure into points. As the weather deteriorated, play became bogged down in midfield with neither team able to impose any control on the game and the contest, inevitably, became scrappy and disjointed despite their best efforts to play enterprising rugby in the challenging conditions.

Leos applied sustained pressure on the Crocs’ line midway through the half, patiently recycling the ball as they built up umpteen phases before eventually drawing a penalty for a high tackle. The attempted kick was held up in the swirling wind, fell short and the scoreboard remained blank. It remained so until five minutes before the interval when Crocs finally had points to show for their efforts. The resolute Leos’ defence was eventually breached following a penalty award on the visitors’ ‘22’. Crocs took the tap option and initiated a series of controlled pick and go drives until Ed Cockroft cut back inside the defensive cover to touch down by the posts.

Further opportunities to increase the lead in the closing minutes were not taken due to a combination of handling errors and penalty concessions leaving Crocs with only a slender 5-0 half time advantage.

The opening action of the second half saw Matthew Beswick break down the right wing, surging into the opposition half before being tackled into touch. Crocs attacked again down the same channel but, when the ball was thrown inside, an interception allowed Leos to break in midfield. A try looked a certainty, with the defensive cover scrambling back, only for the referee to call the move back for a forward pass.

However, Leos’ disappointment was short lived as they scored with their next move. Having won their own line out ball, they set up a driving maul in the Crocs’ ‘22’ and Ed Farmer peeled off to touch down by the posts. He then added the formality of the conversion and Leos led 7-5.

Rather than the anticipated Leos’ onslaught, Crocs battled to take the game to their opponents and, with the filthy weather, if anything, getting worse they established a foothold in the Leos’ half. A deft grubber kick into the in goal area was covered and further pressure was applied when Leos were penalised for not rolling away at the tackle. Unfortunately, the Crocs’ line out was struggling and they lost possession within the Leos’ ‘22’.

Just when the home support’s frustration was mounting, Crocs finally regained the lead following a powerful drive in midfield from Jack Pilcher to take play deep into Leos’ territory. Crocs were subsequently awarded a penalty and they chose to go for goal into the teeth of the gale force wind. Ed Cockroft’s kick hit the upright before, tantalisingly, dropping the right side of the crossbar and Crocs led 8-7 midway through the half.

Leos responded and were soon laying siege to the Crocs’ try line. But some heroics defence was rewarded when Crocs went down the other end of the field and scored the try which sealed the win.

A series of penalties enabled Crocs to squelch into the opposition half and a further penalty for dragging down a driving maul set up a line out 15 metres from the try line. This time the ball was secured and controlled and patient recycling drew a further penalty as the clock ticked down. Crocs had a scrum feed and when Ed Cockroft’s pass was released on the short side, Jack Hammond crashed over the line and the lead was 13-7.