After an impressive victory at fortress Grange Park the week before, Wetherby travelled to Roundhegians in high spirits but with an ever increasing injury list. An under strength, but still decent team made the trip into Leeds and looked organised in the warm up despite a re-shuffled backline.

Wetherby got off to the perfect start. The line-out clicked, forcing a scrum which was evidently dominant from the off. After a couple of heavy forward shunts from props Elliott Lloyd Kinsey Griffiths and big fat David Brent (Bradley Mason), it was the fleet footed Myles Oates who managed to pick a hole in the defence. Despite his kryptonite girlfriend being in attendance, Myles slithered over the line to give Wetherby the perfect start. 0-7.

Wetherby took their perfect first five minutes for granted and instantly went into self-destruct mode. Every time they got the ball, sloppy hands and forced passes caused the ball to be dropped. In the echoing pits of the roundhegians ground, coach Geoff Brown's expletives could be heard from Whinmoor to Wortley. Every dropped ball allowed Roundhegians to play territory and let Wetherby implode.

Kick returns weren't making touch, or finding grass. The tackling didn't have the usual sting and tenacity of a Wetherby defence, and the accuracy of attacks were poor despite some good hard running from Tom Edwards and Mattie Chappell. Roundhegians on the other hand were playing a simple but effective game of carrying round the corner and making slow yards before turning the defence. The back three of Jack Kaye, Andrew Trotman and Barney Roberts were failing to find the gaps when counter attacking against an organised defence, but defended excellently in cover when Roundhegians did break the line.

Unfortunately Wetherby's biggest problem this season came back to bite them hard; ill-discipline. Hegians came close to mauling the ball over the Wetherby line but George Gilbert brought it down to take a team yellow card before a Steve Hoather turnover helped Wetherby to clear their lines. They were soon on the back foot again however and gave away three quick penalties to go in at the break trailing.
Half-time: 9-7.

The half-time break saw the introduction of professional rally driver Scott Wallis into the front to help gain some forward momentum with ball in hand. I'd say that I don't really scare easily but I was genuinely terrified as we flew down the back streets of Leeds like we were on a hot wheels track as torrential rain lashed the car. You're lucky to be getting a match report at all!

Anyway Wetherby carries with a lot more conviction in the second half and made good yards from Liam Hogan in the midfield, with chewbacca battling through the hegians defence. Unfortunately it was the same story of inaccuracy in the second half, although nobody could question the effort levels. Jim Greenwood, who looks a bit like pie face from Dennis the Menace, put a massive shift in from the blindside flank in both attack and defence. As Wetherby got on top, the strike runners George Gilbert and James Gibson made good yards but they couldn't find the end product. In the end a stabbed kick through put Wetherby back in defence, and a great big hole in the Wetherby defence allowed the roundhegians centre to slide in under the post and really put Wetherby backs against the wall. 16-7.

After getting the hair-dryer treatment from stand-in captain Steve Hoather, Wetherby responded brightly. A brilliant crash-line from Myles Oates meant that he forced his giant lumpy head through the defensive line and off-loaded to Barney Roberts who nearly got hauled in by the bald second row who persistently terrorised him in the second half. Thankfully he evaded and Alex Dus added the extras to put Wetherby within 2. 16-14.

Wetherby camped in the roundhegians half for the last twenty minutes and were unlucky to fall on the wrong side of a couple of close decisions at the breakdown. The one kickable penalty was unfortunately dragged wide from Alex Dus, who might not recover naturally from his mental state after that. Fortunately where there's a will there's a way, right Dussy?

Elliott Lloyd Kinsey Griffiths came a cats cock-hair from the try-line late on as Wetherby battered the line. Unfortunately when they created space for Jack Kaye on the left wing, he either forgot the ball altogether, or got munched by his opposite number. Rumour has it he's even left the country to hide. Despite all of Wetherby's best efforts the game had no further score.

Final Score: Roundhegians 16-14 Wetherby

Despite showing good heart in the second half, Wetherby simply weren't good enough. The accuracy wasn't there and the game management was generally poor, but ultimately every player will look back on this game as a game of bad decisions by all of the players.

MoM: Pie Face (Jim Greenwood) - vintage jimbo with a ridiculous tackle count.

DoD: George Gilbert - Yellow cards must be punished!