Eat Leake, 27 September 07, Away, Lost 17-3

 (Midlands 5 East – North)

Royces continued their tour of Midlands 5 East (North) with a trip to East Leake RFC looking to notch their first away win of the season. With the season’s theme of continual changes to the starting line saw 6 changes to last weeks meaningless victory of the University of Derby, a void fixture under.

Things looked promising for Royces in the opening 20 minutes with only silly penalties allowing East Leake to send Royces into retreat. However no points came Royces way and with East Leake forged back into the game. The home side having the advantage in the line out and everywhere else on the field, scrum, maul, ruck, backs each side countered each others efforts. Half time 0 v 0.

Royces had few options for making any changes at half time and faced the second half into a stiff breeze knowing it was likely to be the first team to make a mistake who would concede this game. And so it was with a misunderstanding in the Royces back line allowing the East Leake centre and straight run to the line for a converted try. Royces kept themselves in contention with a Paul McLaughlin penalty. A second misunderstanding allowed a poor kick and chase by East Leake to give East Leake a match winning second converted try. A penalty rounded off East Leake’s account for the day. Royces showed spirit to the end playing the last part of the game in the home sides half but continuous penalties thwarted Royces progress as they went looking for a try to make the game a contest to the end. Final whistle East Leake 17 v 3 Rolls-Royce

Team :- D Sanderson, , D Myres, G Fowler, S Canty, E Barker, P McLaughlin, J Peacock, I Ranft, M Brown, A King, M Drozdz, A Taylor, I Baker, A Blackhurst, A Gill – M Maseko, M Lee, W Greenway