Leeds Tykes 37 Moseley 27

Moseley were cruelly denied even a losing bonus point at former Premiership outfit Leeds Tykes yesterday when old boy Leigh Hinton hit a last gasp penalty to secure a ten-point win for the home side.

Moseley had produced a great first half to lead at the interval but they conceded 20 unanswered points at the start of the second half to lose their advantage.

Ian Smith made eight changes from the side that beat Sedgley Park last week and his team were gifted the lead inside the first minute when Leeds were penalised for not rolling away from the tackle. Ollie Thomas coolly slotted over the penalty to make it 3-0.

The former Premiership side showed a willingness to throw the ball around and eventually struck back when USA international Mike MacDonald touched down from a driving maul. Hinton added the conversion to make it 7-3 after 11 minutes.

Two minutes later Thomas hit his second penalty of the game after Jon Dunbar was penalised to bring Moseley back to within one point.

Better was to come as captain Daren O’Leary intercepted 45 metres out and sprinted through to score between the posts. Thomas’ conversion made it 13-7 after 18 minutes.

Moseley could have extended their lead moments later when O’Leary broke down the touchline but winger Jamie Lennard could not hold onto the pass and the chance had gone begging.

It looked like it would prove costly when Rhys Oakley crashed over for the home side and Hinton’s conversion retaking the lead for the Tykes.

However, Moseley finished the half brightly. Firstly, Mark Evans set up a good position by breaking well from the base of the scrum from deep inside his own 22. Then Paul Cox latched onto a chip kick by Darren Edwards to set up a position near the Leeds line. Good work saw the ball fed wide quickly to create the overlap for Yorkshireman Andy Binns to score on his return to his home county. Thomas was accurate again to make the half-time score 20-14 to the visitors.

Moseley had produced a highly effective performance in the first half although they had been helped by a Leeds team apparently determined to score the try of the season with each play. However, for the second half Leeds came out with a much more pragmatic approach and fly-half Ian Humphreys and Hinton kicked for position at every opportunity to put pressure on the Moseley defence.

They got their first reward after three minutes when Hinton put over a penalty after Moseley were caught offside; then second row Kearnan Myall was driven over from a line out five metres from the Moseley line. Hinton’s conversion retaking the lead at 24-20 after 46 minutes.

Smith rang the changes after that with James Rodwell coming on in the back row and Jim Aston continuing his return from injury after 20 minutes last week.

However, it could not stop Leeds' momentum and after Hinton had further extended their lead with a penalty they scored their fourth try through Chris Hughes who ran in out wide after good work by Tom Rock. Hinton added the conversion.

Moseley did not let their heads drop and came back at the home side. Replacement Adam Caves made a good break down the touchline and the Tykes then had skipper Mark Lock sin-binned for coming in from the wrong side to stop a driving maul close to the Leeds line. However, Moseley made a hash of the penalty and Leeds were able to clear their lines.

Moseley continued to press to try and make the most of their numerical advantage but poor hands let them down. Rodwell decided to take matters into his own hands and having taken a quick tap on the Leeds 22 from a free quick he ran across field brushing off four would be tacklers to score. Thomas added the conversion to make it 34-27 in injury time.

The visitors were now within converted try of levelling the game and gaining a try scoring bonus themselves but they were denied even a point with Hinton’s last-gasp strike.

LEEDS: Hinton, Welding, T Rock, Holtby, Hughes, Humphreys, Edwards, MacDonald (Paul, 58), Nilsen (Isaacson, HT), Cusack (Noon, 50), Bouza, Myall, Dunbar (Schusterman, 50), Lock, Oakley (Stitcher , 68). Replacements: Whitaker, Vasey.
MOSELEY: Thomas, Lennard (Aston, 50), O'Leary (Holder, 77), Cox, Binns, MacDonald, Knight, Coles (Buxton, 50), Hall (Caves, 50), Black, Arnold, Skelding, Mason, McIntosh (Rodwell, 50), Evans. Replacements: Stott, Hunter.
Referee: Greg Garner (RFU).