Bradford Salem 23, West Leeds 30

HAVING lost and then won the initial Yorkshire Shield quarter-final – which went to extra-time at West Leeds and ended in confusion over which side should have gone through – holders Bradford Salem, who were granted a home replay, reckoned they should again have been given the chance to take the match into the additional 20 minutes.

"We should certainly have been given a penalty in stoppage time when the West Leeds player came into the back of a scrum," said Salem first-team manager Neil Klenk.

"Then, as we had the momentum (with two of their players in the sin-bin), we would have had the opportunity of scoring a try or, if they offended again, possibly been given a penalty try which, if we had converted it, would have meant extra-time."

Yet referee Carl Walsh (Yorkshire Society), who was left without official touch judges, saw things differently as West Leeds centre Sam Neave picked the ball up and ran downfield before hoofing it towards Salem's line.

The next stoppage, deep in home territory, signalled the end of a match which many thought was a better contest than the original tie at Blue Hill Lane.

For most of the first half, it seemed that Yorkshire Division Two champions West Leeds – who won the RFU Senior Vase final at Twickenham last Saturday – would not keep their treble hopes alive.

Salem, who were without full back Danny Belcher (work commitments) and fly half Andy Robinson (tweaked knee), seemed to have the edge in the pack and led 16-6 at half-time.

However, the visitors dominated the opening 25 minutes of the second half, scoring 24 unanswered points, before Salem, who sometimes lacked nous, almost clawed it back when West Leeds had those players yellow carded.

West Leeds' former Salem No 8 Damien Pearson admitted: "It is tough coming to Salem at any time but particularly four days after playing at Twickenham and I am really proud of the boys, who turned it around in the second half."

The best news for Salem after losing Belcher and Robinson before kick-off was the arrival of former England international Dan Scarbrough with boots in hand minutes before the off and he came on for the final 15 minutes to try and help the hosts turn the game around.

The first half, which mysteriously only lasted 37 minutes, was all about the Booths for Salem, with No 8 Jamie scoring two tries and elder brother Matt landing two penalties.

West Leeds responded with two penalties by fly half Dale Breakwell, who was wide with his first effort, which seemed easier to kick than miss.

He certainly made amends for that error in the second half, kicking beautifully into the hands of winger Jack Marshall on the right, who dummied and went over himself in the 45th minute, Breakwell converting before pinging Salem back with a great touch kick.

In the 56th minute, Salem paid a heavy price for a loose pass which went into touch near the stand, Marshall taking a quick line-out to fellow winger Danny Booth, who ran over unopposed for Breakwell to convert.

West Leeds' third try five minutes later was more contentious, with Salem's replacement prop Adam Hewitt being adamant that prop George Carpenter's plunge for the line had fallen just short.

Walsh awarded the try, however, and Breakwell's conversion gave the visitors clear water at 27-16, his penalty in the 65th minute putting West Leeds two converted tries clear.

The visitors' discipline then began to waver as Salem found their second wind and hooker Steve Anderson was sin-binned in the 74th minute for not releasing a player in a ruck, Jamie Booth scoring his hat-trick try in Salem's next attack, with brother Matt's conversion leaving them only seven points adrift.

Then, four minutes into stoppage time, Marshall was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on – and then came the debatable finale as West Leeds hung on to face Pontefract at home in Saturday's semi-final.