Watts wins it for Leeds with last-gasp goal kick

Sheffield…………12pts Leeds Tykes…..13pts

By MICK DAVIDS

WHEN these two teams met last season, both games were high-scoring affairs that were in the balance right until the end.

This latest contest was obviously a low-scoring affair.

But it was no less exciting as two teams went through a tremendous battle at Abbeydale, culminating in a match-winning penalty from replacement stand-off James Watts to snatch a victory for Leeds in the dying minutes.

In truth, had Sheffield held on for a historic victory, no-one from Leeds could have really complained as from minute one Sheffield took it to their high-flying visitors.

This was an encounter in which both squads left nothing back in terms of physicality.

At the end of the day, however, it was perhaps the more experience that Leeds had in their armoury that was the deciding factor in the end.

Commenting after the game, Leeds Director of Rugby Pete Seabourne said: “This was a fantastic game, with two top teams going hammer and tongs.

“To be frank, in my opinion neither side deserve to lose.”

And Sheffield’s coach Anthony Posa added: “I’m proud of our lads at that effort.

“But we need to be honest, it was just a couple of key errors at key times that cost us.

“We do know, however, that we will be better for it.”

For such a low-scoring game there were large parts that were hugely entertaining for the large crowd at Abbeydale.

It was Sheffield who finally broke through an outstanding-at-times Leeds defence for hooker Rhodri Campbell to score from a rolling maul.

And with Eliot Fisher’s conversion that proved to be all the scoring in the first half as Sheffield edged into a 7-0 lead at the break.

Turnover ball early in the second half led to a Charlie Venables’ try for Leeds to claw it back to 7-5.

And the Tykes finally took the lead in the 66th minute with a try from skipper Adam Brown.

But back Sheffield came when constant attacking brought a deserved try to flanker Matty Adcock to set up a grandstand finish.

Unfortunately for the hosts, that wasn’t the end of the story.

With time almost up on the clock, Sheffield failed to exit accurately and Leeds had a penalty 35 metres out.

The reliable Watts stepped up and coolly slotted the winning kick, and Leeds saw out a nervous last couple of minutes to enormous relief at the final whistle and escaping Abbeydale with a 13-12 victory in a clash that did justice to a top-ofthe-table fixture.