Esher 15 Leeds Carnegie 20: Bell signals victory to ease frustration for Leeds

Leeds escaped from Moseley Road with a victory thanks to last-ditch defensive heroics from captain Jacob Rowan, who prevented Esher grounding the ball between the posts deep into stoppage time.

A scrappy affair punctuated all too frequently by the whistle of Scottish referee Cammy Rudkin saw play move from one set piece to another.

Only rarely did any constructive rugby break out with the boot of respective full-backs Tommy Bell (Leeds) and Robert Kirby dominating. Bell’s try midway through the first half was a rare ray of light on a gloomy afternoon.

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Esher prevented free-flowing play and Leeds could not impose themselves. Once again the visitors failed to keep 15 men on the field, Chris Walker seeing yellow in the first period.

Leeds’ indiscipline gave Kirby seven attempts at the posts in the first period and he was successful with four. Bell was more accurate with three from three, though he failed to convert his try.

Bell had Iain Thornley and Lee Blackett to thank for the touchdown. It started from a scrum just inside the Esher half. Shaw fed Thornley, who showed great strength to make 20 metres before finding Blackett. The winger shrugged off two tacklers to throw an inside pass which the full-back picked up off his toes to dive over the line. It was by far the highlight of the match.

Leeds should have kicked on but again penalty decisions rained down on the Yorkshire side.

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The referee eventually had had enough and sent Walker to the bin only for Esher’s MacFarlane to follow four minutes later.

A disappointing first 40 saw Leeds ahead at the break by just two points.

The start of the second period promised more from Leeds with Mike MacDonald on and in the thick of the action. Twice, Leeds crossed the line only to be called back for forward passes.

Kirby put the hosts briefly in front before Bell regained the lead and Joe Ford’s drop goal was scant reward for the constant pressure heaped on Esher. Once again infringements negated good approach work by the visitors.

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When Parker was sin-binned for an illegal tackle on replacement Andy Titterall, Leeds should have been home and hosed. Trailing by just five points, the hosts gave one last effort to secure victory. Leeds scrambled frantically in defence and were hanging on before the official came to the rescue to end a frustrating game.

Esher: Kirby, Walker, Griffiths, Cruickshanks, Edgerley, Atkinson, Stuart-Smith (Garner 70); Mines, Mackie (Campbell 77), Gethings, Barker, Parker,MacFarlane (Sweeney 77), Synott, Goodman.

Leeds Carnegie: Bell, Blackett, Thornley, Barker, Stephenson, Ford, Shaw; Lockwood (Denman 52, Mustafa 70), Nilsen (Titterall 55), Mustafa (MacDonald 40), Denton (Barrow 74), Hemingway, Burrows, Walker (Beck 61), Rowan. Unused: White, Lucock.

Referee: C Rudkin (SRU).

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