Yarnbury 9 West Park Leeds 17

West Park followers were grateful for some divine intervention as fly-half Jim Barnett scored the vital points to seal a crucial away win.

The tone for a niggly, dour affair was set after less than two minutes when a stamp by the home scrum-half resulted in retaliation and ten minutes in the sin-bin for his opposite number.

Almost immediately the visitors were penalised for a debatable high tackle in midfield, giving a straightforward penalty chance that home fly- half and skipper Steve Galbraith duly accepted.

Yarnbury were clearly up for the contest but strong tilts from winger Carl Nutchey and centre James Lowes took play deep into home territory.

The ball was moved to the impressive Barnett who chipped ahead, only to be brought down by a clear trip.

The referee had no choice but to award the penalty try but surprisingly deemed this to be sufficient punishment as both yellow and red cards remained firmly in his pocket.

Full-back Nick Nightingale received a dead leg, being replaced by the reliable Dan Barker.

West Park maintained their momentum and increased their lead just on half-time, the influential Barnett showing the defence a clean pair of heels to go between the posts.

Lowes added his second conversion for a half-time lead of 14-3.

West Park started the second-half brightly, a blindside break by scrum-half Jack Bickerdike gaining 50 metres.

Soon after, second row Tim Pearce turned his man in the tackle, giving Lowes a penalty chance to the right of the posts.

The effort struck the upright but from this point West Park spent much of the remainder of the game time defending grimly as the penalty count rose inexorably in the hosts' favour.

Fortunately, they produced little attacking threat, mustering only two more Galbraith penalties for their efforts.

They did however appear to be unfortunate when a home player seemed to ground a loose ball after a close in line-out, the referee apparently being unsighted.

Good defensive work from Barker cleared the lines on more than one occasion before West Park seized the initiative in the closing stages.

A series of forward drives took play to the home 22, forcing Yarnbury to concede one of the few penalties awarded against them on the day.

Given what had occurred earlier, it came as no surprise that it was Barnett who stepped up to confidently slot the ball between the posts, sealing a scrappy but important victory.

On Saturday Yarnbury visit Scarborough while West Park entertain West Leeds.