Six tries provided for a comfortable victory for Blackheath, nudging the Club up to fourth place at the halfway mark of the National League One season, while two late scores gave Leeds Tykes a four-try bonus point, as well as respectability to the final tally.
After three successive soggy outings, it was something a relief to have a dry, sunny afternoon for Blackheath’s final home game of 2025, but it was the visitors who adapted to the conditions better from the outset, Tykes’ full-back Seremaia Turagabeci landing two penalties for a 6-0 lead, the second from a distance of 40-metres.
On ten minutes, however, an overthrown lineout was mopped up by Billy Harding, and as Jake Hennessey made the line break, Matt Dalymple’s bobbling grubber-kick sat up for Tom Emery, coming up from full-back, to collect and score.
Moments later, Luke Pollock found Hennessey out wide, the wing showing equally neat footballing skills to gather his own kick for a second try.
The Yorkshiremen briefly regained the lead, as this time a Blackheath throw sailed over its intended target, and the visitors quickly spun play across field, centre and skipper Ben Dixon diving on loose ball, and Turagabeci striking another fine kick, but the second quarter saw Blackheath take firm control.
As the Club pack picked and drove their way forward, Pollock joined in, the centre wrestling his way to the goal-line for Finn Osborne to touch down beneath the uprights.
Then, on half-time, Ed Scragg took lineout ball, and Blackheath’s dominant maul powered Harding across for the hooker’s 24th try of the season, maintaining the Club skipper’s position as the current leading try-scorer in English rugby union and, with Dalrymple’s second conversion, giving the hosts a 24-13 interval lead.
The third quarter was more attritional, with Blackheath never looking under threat, but unable to land a killer blow through a disciplined Leeds defence.
On 65 minutes, however, Pollock got within inches of the try-line before being hauled down, but with the pressure still on, the centre again made an opening before Dalrymple’s long pass found Hennessey to crash over in the corner.
A fumbled re-start handed Leeds possession for Albert Bradshaw to race across, quickly restoring the margin to eleven points, but Dalrymple sold a lovely dummy, James Cornish, who made a major contribution at loose-head, along with Osborne and Kyle McGhie, made ground, and Scragg finished off, putting the result beyond doubt.
Bradshaw showed a superb turn of pace for the right-wing’s second try, and Leeds’ fourth try came in a frantic final play with openside Jonny Teague slipping over, though the conversion fell wide to deny the visitors additional reward.
Next Saturday in the final round of matches prior to the Christmas break, Blackheath travel to in-form Bishop’s Stortford. Kick off at Silver Leys is at 3.00 pm.
Blackheath
Tries: Emery 10, Hennessey 12, 69, Osborne 29, Harding 40, Scragg 74
Conv: Dalrymple 29, 40, 74
Leeds Tykes
Tries: Dixon 18, Bradshaw 71, 77, Teague 80
Conv: Turagabeci 18
Pens: Turagabeci 2, 6
Attendance: 675
| 15 | . | Tom Emery |
| 14 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 13 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Tom Hughes |
| 10 | . | Matt Dalrymple |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | James Cornish |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding (Capt) |
| 3 | . | Archie Holland |
| 4 | . | Archie Smeaton |
| 5 | Ed Scragg | |
| 6 | . | Will Jameson |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Finn Osborne |
| 16 | . | Sam Westmacott |
| 17 | . | Victor Angelov |
| 18 | . | Rory Marsh |
| 19 | . | Tom Johnson |
| 20 | . | Kyle McGhie |
Photos: Nick King
Graham Cox
LATEST NEWS
