Indiscipline proves costly for Leighton
LEIGHTON Buzzard travelled to Peterborough for the first time in a number of years on Saturday hoping to kick-start 2012 with a win against a side only three places above them in the league.
However, it wasn’t to be the visitors’ day as despite them scoring three tries, the home side enjoyed a 47-22 win that keeps Buzzards sat perilously close to the Midlands 1 East relegation places.
The game had started well for Buzzards though with the forwards keeping the ball tight and pushing their way into the home side’s 22 to see giant second row Dan Baroux to dive over the line and open the scoring for the visitors.
Peterborough soon came back though and a converted try saw them take the lead for the first time, and they never looked back.
A penalty was soon added to further extend the score to 10-5, and then disaster struck for Leighton as two yellow cards were given within a minute of each other. The first of them was given for deliberately blocking a second attempt at a quick penalty and then for off side at a line out.
During the extended period when Leighton were down to 13 men, Peterborough scored 15 unanswered points to take their lead out to 25-5.
Once Leighton were back to full strength they managed to make a game of it, with the forwards forcing a penalty to be awarded which Luke Ilic stepped up to convert to add three points to the Buzzards’ tally in very windy conditions.
Leighton were down but not out and a superb try from Ed Ratcliffe when a kick at goal was passed over gave them something to cheer about and narrowed the gap even more, with the conversion taking the score to 25-15 at half time.
Peterborough started the second half down to 14 players with their prop sin binned for holding on just before the half time whistle, but the visitors were unable to take advantage during the short period that the home side were down to 14 players.
Wheeler, Henkes and Wilkes all made good impressions in the second half and James Gurney scored a magnificent try bursting down the left wing to score out wide. The conversion made it 25-22 with 20 minutes to go and suddenly it was game on.
However, Peterborough crossed the line three times in that final 20 minutes to take the game and the bonus point, with Buzzards unable to cross the line again.
Overall the final score was disappointing and certainly didn’t reflect the efforts that Buzzards had put in to the game.
But they will need to repeat that level of hard work when league leaders Derby visit Wrights Meadow on Saturday.
Buzzards sit fourth from bottom of the Midlands 1 East table and still have plenty of work to do before being sure of survival this term, and go up against a Derby side with only one defeat in 15 games.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
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