Rugby Union: Baildon 11, Leeds Corinthians 21.

Baildon may have lost three successive matches for the first time since September, 1996, but there is no sign of panic at Jenny Lane.

New coach Kenny Pollard said after watching his side's second league defeat in as many matches in Yorkshire Division Three: "I am not worried at all. Things will definitely get better once we have got over this little trough of injuries.

"There was a lot of spirit showed by the lads out there and I thought 21-11 flattered Corin-thians. We worked very hard and all of the lads who came in did a fantastic job, and it augurs well for the future.

However, Pollard is underestimating things a little by calling it a "little trough."

Even he admits that half the first team squad are absent injured, including such key men as centre Dave Hemming and the versatile Chris Smithies.

Baildon lost the toss and were forced to play downhill, but were 8-0 ahead inside a few minutes.

Right winger Dave Wilde kicked a penalty and then scored a try after scrum half Ben Dobbs had moved the ball towards him, full back Andy Whitley's incision into the line giving Wilde the opportunity to side-step Corin-thians No 8 Max Mliswa on his way to the line.

But there was a nasty memory of last season's league clash when flanker Nick Smith needed attention from Dr Mark Purvis after being injured in the build-up to the try.

Purvis, who was playing in a third team practice match on the adjacent pitch, ran across to treat Smith, but the Corinthians player was able to continue after treatment to a soft tissue injury.

In March, Corinthians centre Brian Kelly - coaching the first team from the sidelines this season - broke his leg after a hard but fair tackle by Baildon centre Mick Kenny.

Full back Carl maynard pulled back three points for the visitors with a penalty, and they reached half-time level at 8-8 after a try by skipper Russell Bradley.

And they felt they should have been ahead after a good run by Mliswa and a dropped pass by centre Martyn Bradford could have brought them two further tries.

Baildon showed they weren't going to lie down when Wilde's second penalty put them 11-8 ahead in the 54th minute.

But Corinthians responded with a try by right winger Nigel Foster, a penalty by Maynard and an injury-time try by flanker David Wakenshaw.

There was the odd eyebrow raised at Foster's try, some feeling that the touch-in-goal flag had been hit by the winger before he put the ball down.

But referee Paul Franklin (Yorkshire Society) allowed the try after consultation with Baildon touch judge Tony Little, who said the ball had been grounded before the flag was hit."I've no complaints about that," said Pollard. "Tony is a man of integrity."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.