Yorkshire Division Three: Baildon 12 Leeds Modernians 13

SECOND-placed Baildon had an off-day as former coach Adam Faulkner returned to Jenny Lane and won with new club Leeds Modernians.

The Jenny Laners were too imprecise, the backs lacked penetration, giving the dominant forwards too much to do from long range, and the defensive positioning was occasionally woeful.

In general, the home side were too predictable but they have shown in the past that they are quick learners, and they will need to be again.

Baildon won the territorial battle in the early kicking exchanges and, once in Mods territory, were gifted a shot at goal when the visitors Mods failed to release a tackled player, JJ O'Connell stroking the ball through the uprights for 3-0.

Although Baildon were unable to string together phases, they soon had another shot at goal when hands in the ruck was followed by a high shot on the home side's man of the match James Fox, O'Connell again doing the necessary.

Luke Strauss was then isolated, conceding a penalty, which Mods kicked to half the deficit.

The visitors them took the lead following a catalogue of Baildon errors – a free-kick for early engagement in the scrum, losing their line-out and dropping off tackles before conceding a try in the corner.

Baildon hooker Dale Tabiner injured his left knee and was replaced by Matty Dixon before the home side got their driving game going via Will Tomlinson, Joe Robinson and Adam Hewitt.

Trailing 8-6 at half-time, the home side appeared to be half asleep as the second half got underway, and, from first- phase scrum ball, the Mods No 8 found acres of space on the blind side, created a two on one and released a runner, who scored a try, despite the best efforts of O'Connell.

Baildon then blew a three-man overlap created by Tom Peel and Hewitt, but they had already been awarded a penalty, which O'Connell kicked to make it 13-9.

The hosts were now winning frequent penalties at the breakdown and the scrum, but O'Connell missed a kick at goal before Robbie Hill intercepted a pass and, realising that he had no close support runners, he kicked through.

The chasers were obstructed in front of the posts for another clear penalty, kicked by O'Connell to make it 13-12.

Debutant Tom Stanley came on for Hewitt and, after Mods' almost scored after a 50-metre gallop by their scrum half, both sides missed shots at goal before Nathan King was tap-tackled superbly by the visitors to deny Baildon a try before the final maul came to nothing.