Yorkshire Division One: West Leeds 50 Bradford Salem 10

AFTER their fine 17-14 victory over league leaders Bridlington a fortnight earlier, Bradford Salem came unstuck against second-placed West Leeds at Bluehill Lane.

With a firm pitch on a bright spring afternoon, most people in the crowd were eagerly anticipating an exciting and open contest between two of the best attacking backlines in the division.

However, with the added incentive of securing a play-off spot by finishing second in the league, West Leeds showed far more commitment than their opponents as the game developed into a one-sided affair.

Although Salem retained possession well in the opening exchanges, the writing was on the wall when the visitors failed to react as a loose midfield pass went to ground, and West Leeds broke away to send winger Mark Calderwood over in the right corner to give the hosts an early 5-0 lead.

Minutes later, Salem reduced the deficit to 5-3 when fly half Matt Booth kicked a penalty after referee Laurence Pearson penalised West Leeds for handling in a ruck but the reprieve proved short-lived.

After 14 minutes, West Leeds launched an audacious counter-attack from their own 22, but the gamble paid off as some great interpassing between scrum half Joe Bedford and centre Sam Neave created sufficient space for Calderwood to score his second try, Dale Breakwell landing the difficult conversion to give his side a 12-3 lead.

Calderwood’s afternoon did not end well, however, as firstly he was denied a hat-trick when the pass he received while in an overlap position was rightly adjudged to be forward, and, later, the former Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and England rugby league star had to leave the field with a hamstring injury.

After a couple of penalties in their favour, West Leeds extended their advantage as Neave burst through off a short pass to score a fine individual try, improved by Dale Breakwell to take the score to 19-3.

At this point, the home side’s backs were brimming with confidence and they took a 31-3 half-time lead as firstly centre Danny Booth scorched through and then slick handling put winger Jack Marshall over in the corner.

Straight from the restart, Salem’s outstanding No 8 Christian Baines set off on a 30-metre rampaging run, and, although this promising attack was carried on by supporting flanker Conor Wood, West Leeds somehow managed to keep their try-line intact.

For the next 25 minutes, the defences of both sides held firm, with the home side in particular pulling off some brilliant try-saving tackles, despite punishing runs from Baines, Wood and fellow back-rower Jamie Booth.

The deadlock was finally broken as another counter-attack, again master-minded by Bedford, created space for full back Keir Breakwell to outpace the cover to score a try, improved by his cousin Dale to give West Leeds an unassailable 38-3 lead.

To their credit, the Salem players refused to throw in the towel and they managed to reduce the arrears to 38-10 when quick hands in the backs enabled winger Connor Malarkey to score in the corner, Booth landing a magnificent conversion from the touchline.

However, Salem suffered two moments of misfortune in injury time as firstly Malarkey gifted Danny Booth his second try when he failed to clear the ball on his own line.

Then, in the final play, even Salem’s former England international Dan Scarbrough was caught out as the ball bizarrely stayed in play after hitting the base of a corner flag to gift West Leeds another try to give them a rather flattering 50-10 victory.