Plymouth Albion 32 Leeds Carnegie 31: Leeds’s indecision proves costly as victory chance slips from their grasp

Leeds head coach Diccon Edwards struggled to come to terms with the defeat afterwards.

He said: “Plymouth didn’t win that game, we lost it.

“I’m incredibly frustrated and verging on being angry.

“Credit must go to Plymouth who kept coming back at us, but every time we got into the lead, our errors let them back into the game.

“Our game management was poor, and we have got to learn to do the simple things well.

“In some aspects today we showed what we are good at, but despite scoring five tries away we need to get a lot better.”

On a glorious afternoon in Devon, the Brickfields crowd were treated to a superb game of rugby, which was a great advert for the Championship.

Despite having the consolation of finishing with two bonus points, the journey back to Yorkshire would have been a long one, as the squad reflected on what might have been.

Young Leeds fly-half Joe Ford, who earlier in the game had slotted two conversions from the touchline, had a late chance to win the game but his conversion attempt of his side’s fifth try sailed wide of the upright.

Plymouth made a great start and took an early lead when flanker Sam Hocking forced his way over in the corner with fly-half Paul Roberts adding the extras.

Leeds hit back and levelled matters when a well-worked move put right wing Curtis Wilson in on the overlap, with Ford adding the conversion.

After declining two kicks at goal, the visitors went ahead when No 8 Ryan Burrows strolled over in the corner, with Ford kicking a superb conversion from the touchline.

Roberts got three points back for Plymouth, before quick thinking by scrum-half Craig Hampson created a third Leeds try.

Hampson caught Albion napping by taking a tap penalty before feeding wing Pete Lucock, who scored wide out.

Making kicking look easy Ford once again converted from the touchline.

At the end of the first half Plymouth centre Toby Howley-Berridge got a try on debut which left Carnegie with a 21-15 interval lead.

Roberts kicked a penalty at the start of the second half, before Plymouth were reduced to 14 when hooker Jon Vickers was carded.

Leeds took full advantage of the extra man and hooker Phil Nilsen got the bonus point try from a catch and drive move.

Tykes were then reduced to 13 when full-back David Doherty and centre Freddie Burdon were yellow carded.

From a close-range scrum Plymouth were awarded a penalty try and when Roberts converted the visitors lead was a slender one point.

Plymouth regained the lead when wing Jack Arnott latched onto a kick ahead with Roberts converting.

Leeds, showing great character, notched a fifth try when skipper Jacob Rowan forced his way over for what turned out to be last score of the match.

Ford’s kick, had it been successful, would have earned them a second straight win. As it is, Edwards’s men were left reflecting on what might have been after a second narrow defeat on the road in the opening three weeks of the season.

Edwards added: “Individually and collectively we are making basic and unforced errors and that’s something we have got to address. The players and coaching staff are going to work really hard to make sure we eradicate those errors. It’s a combination of factors; it’s pressure and the intensity of a league game, it’s the expectation amongst other things but it’s in their control to keep working on those areas and as a coaching staff we are committed to getting these things right.”

Plymouth Albion: Messer, Arnott, Howley-Berridge, Armitage, Bowen, Roberts, Cushion; Andrew, Vickers, Fairbrother, Beukeboon, Nasiga, Ashcroft-Leigh, Hocking, Stephen. Replacements: Paul Rowley, Henry Slade, Wayne Sprangle, David Morton, Tom Cowan-Dickie, Harrison Tovey, Keni Fisilau.

Leeds Carnegie: D Doherty, Lucock, Griffin, Burdon, Wilson (Chisholm 40), Ford, Hampson, Lockwood (Iniolek 71), Nilsen (Graham 60), Tussac (Hooper 43), Green (Walker 71), Myerscough (Hemingway 40), Beck, Rowan capt, Burrows. Unused replacements: J Doherty.

Referee: R Campbell (RFU).