Photos courtesy of Paul Holland
Billy Harding’s sixth hat-trick of the season, scored in a 16-minute period of play either side of the interval, secured Blackheath’s ninth successive victory, as the battle at the summit of National League One reaches its enthralling climax.
The bonus point win, allied to news from across the Pennines that Sale FC had recovered from an eleven-point deficit to beat Plymouth Albion 29-26, means the Club move up to second in the table, a home part-one Championship play-off tie now in their hands.
The day hadn’t started so brightly. A failed train caused major delays on the East Coast rail route, and the replacement for a broken-down coach ended up at the wrong pickup point at Leeds station, meaning the Blackheath team not arriving at The Sycamores until five minutes past the designated kick-off time.
However, such disruption can impact on the home side’s preparations too, and it was Leeds who were caught knapping by Jake Hennessey’s quick-thinking, the full-back racing over from a tap-and-go within a minute of the revised start time of 3.50 pm.
Soon after, a couple of phases off lineout saw Fin O’Sullivan score his second try in two matches, and with Sam Morley adding both conversions, Blackheath already had a foot in the door.
Leeds, promoted back to Level Three last term, had followed up a poor first half of the current campaign by winning seven of their last eleven matches, and now needed just two league points to be certain of National League One rugby next season.
At times, their back three showed express pace with ball in hand, but it wasn’t until fly-half Eddie Crossland produced a magnificent 50:22 that they managed an effective assault, skipper and centre Ben Dixon crossing from close-range.
However, Crossland’s temporary removal for a deliberate knock-on, and subsequent kick to touch, set up a huge drive for the Club pack and Harding’s first try and, with Morley again converting, Blackheath were 21-5 ahead at the break.
The Yorkshiremen started the second period as the visitors had begun the first, and collecting their own re-start saw blind-side Connor Walker touch-down from another tap-penalty, but following an interception by Raff Hollister, Blackheath were quickly back on the attack.
With Ed Scragg majestic as ever at the lineout, Morley finding an excellent touch, and the Club mauling superbly, Harding drove over twice in rapid succession to complete his hat-trick, before the skipper and hooker, now with a season tally of 46 tries, could leave the field.
If there was one downside for Blackheath, it was the knee injury while in a defensive position to the desperately unfortunate Will Jameson who, returning from injury, had made a notable impact the back-row.
However, with Finn Osborne blasting off the base of the scrum and Luke Pollock outstanding in defence, Blackheath made an effective exit, and Harding’s understudy, Archie Bourne was soon driving across for a try in similar fashion to his mentor.
Tykes’ loose-head Alex Pleasants went under the uprights to claim a third try for the hosts, but the last word went to the visitors with Noah Sloot crossing late-on.
‘We weren’t at our best,’ said loose-head Archie Holland after making his 100th appearance in Club colours. ‘But they played how we expected, and we were able to nullify their game.’
‘Our set-piece went well, and I think we could have got more reward out of the scrum, but Scraggy called a great lineout and it set the platform for our attacks.’
Blackheath’s final match of the league season sees them welcome Clifton to the Utilita Well Hall next Saturday. Kick off is at 3.00 pm.
Leeds Tykes
Tries: Dixon 17, Walker 41, Pleasants 73
Conv: Turagabeci 41, Crossland 73
Blackheath
Tries: Hennessey 1, O’Sullivan 9, Harding 33, 44, 49, Bourne 66, Sloot 78
Conv: Morley 1, 9, 33, 78
Attendance: 580
| 15 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 14 | . | Tom Hughes |
| 13 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Raff Hollister |
| 10 | . | Sam Morley |
| 9 | . | Kyle McGhie |
| 1 | . | Archie Holland |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding (Capt) |
| 3 | . | Rory Marsh |
| 4 | . | Fin O’Sullivan |
| 5 | . | Ed Scragg |
| 6 | . | Archie Smeaton |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Finn Osborne |
| 16 | . | Archie Bourne |
| 17 | . | James Cornish |
| 18 | . | Will Jameson |
| 19 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 20 | . | Hugo Watson |
Graham Cox
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