Hull Ionians 34 v 49 Leeds Tykes

Saturday’s fixture brought about the first league encounter between these two clubs. This was not the first visit to Brantingham Park by Leeds; that was back when they held lofty ambitions and were promoting themselves around the County as the future.
In the here and now they were back as the early pace-setters in N2N, with two bonus point wins, and came to see if they merited a third. They did.
The Tykes took a long time to achieve their goal, having to overcome a spirited performance from the home side, but four tries in the final quarter of the match took them well clear to run out victorious, 34 -49.
It was a pulsating contest. Leeds proved themselves to be well drilled, efficient and powerful in the set piece. Ionians countered with a demonstrable advantage in the pace of the backs. For over an hour it was anyone’s game, but the exertions of last week told heavily on the home forwards and the Tykes took full advantage.
Ionians were first on the board with a Lewis Minikin penalty, resulting from a high tackle, but from the re-start they were caught off-side and Leeds went for the corner. A successful catch was driven on, although it was initially held, with the help of several backs Leeds drove over for a try to centre Tom Williams. Seremaia Turagabeci (known to all as Jerry during his time at I’s a couple of seasons ago) added the conversion, the first of his seven successes.
Ionians were soon back in front when they won a line-out close to the Leeds line and span the ball wide to Nathan Hill, who scorched past his marker to cross in the corner. Minikin added the extras and extended his tally with another penalty to put Ionians 13 -7 up after 20 minutes play.
Ionians then produced the play of the game. Will Yates was fortunate to gather a charge down and he made the initial break before the ball driven in to contact by Alan Hudson then swept sweetly across the field, in a move involving Sam Pocklington, Sam Wilson, Minikin, James Sanderson and Wilson again, before Hill finished the move with his second try.
On the half hour the Tykes fielded a clearance kick and full back Charlie Venables stepped his marker before hoisting the ball skyward, the bounce went in their favour and Venables chased ahead to be first to the ball and dot down.
The Tykes pack began to dominate proceedings and only a solid defensive effort kept them out, held up on two occasions over the home try line. Inevitably all the pressure told.
Unable to successfully clear their lines, Ionians conceded a 5m scrum. Scrum half Will Hardwick picked up from the base as it inched forward and he squeezed over. Turagabeci goaled to give the Tykes a one-point lead as Mr Woods checked his watch for the break.
There was just a minute remaining of the half and it was enough for Ionians to snatch back the advantage. They challenged the re-start and not for the first time in the match the clearing kick was charged down. Minikin gathered the ball and ran in unopposed. His goal closed the half, Ionians going to oranges with a slender lead, 27 -21.
Ionians made a promising start to the second period. Yates ran aggressively to put the hosts into good field position and swift hands and good running kept them on the front foot.
Ionians continued to press but lost possession, and with it 60 yards, when Venables cleaned up the loose ball and ran clear down the touch before Yates caught him and bundled him out of play.
Ionians then had a large slice of luck. The ball was bobbling around on the half way line and as Leeds tried to claim ownership an errant pass was gratefully accepted by our very own Artful Dodger, Sam Pocklington, who scampered away to score. The goal gave Ionians a 13 points advantage, 34 – 21.
It was the last points we were to see from the hosts. In truth the try was against the run of play with Leeds, led from the front by Adam Brown, beginning to squeeze the life out of Ionians. Ionians plight wasn’t helped by a yellow card for Callum Sanderson.
During his absence Leeds cut the deficit, with Ben Dixon finishing a move started by Brown from within his own half to gain the bonus point. Ionians brought on fresh legs but to no avail.
It was a frenetic final fifteen minutes with both sides making an increasing number of errors. Venables dummied his way over for Leeds’s fifth try, Turagabeci’s goal put them into the lead. The visitors’ tails were up and they sensed victory.
Ionians worked the ball deep into the Tykes red zone but a progressively malfunctioning line-out gifted the visitors the ball and they turned defence into attack and earned a line-out 5m from the home try line. A clean take and drive resulted in Nuu Nuu using his power to barge his way over the line.
The final try came from another line -out success, Toby Williams drove in to contact and Brown carried the ball forward, He slipped a pass to Nuu who picked out Lucas Walsh who crashed through to score. The final score of 34 – 49 was harsh on the hosts, who will have to take it on the chin and travel to Sheffield Tigers looking to get back to winning ways. Hopefully one or two players currently unavailable will come into contention.
This is not sour grapes, or anything approaching it, because it has annoyed me and others for some time. Many teams have started doing it, including I’s. Leeds, however, took it to a whole new level. I am referring to the infantile practice of celebrating any achievement, no matter how inconsequential, with a chorus of whooping and hollering. It is boorish and boring. Get things in perspective, get a grip and cut it out.