Buffaloes stampede blows away Crigglestone All Blacks.
Andy & Devon Johnson
The sun was blazing down on West Leeds as the Buffaloes charged onto the field, looking to showcase their strongest line-up of the season against Crigglestone – a team perched just one spot above them in the table.
The first 5 minutes saw both sides exchanging the ball, but the Buffaloes quickly clicked into gear and seized control of the match. A penalty was awarded for a high tackle (the first of many) by Crigglestone, giving Bramley possession.
Captain Cameron McLachlan led the charge and powered through the defence to score the match’s first try. Kacper Mroz just missed the conversion opening the score to 4 – 0.
Not to be outdone, new recruit Bryn Perrot wanted to make his mark on the game. In the 10th minute, he received the ball near the wing and showed his strength to power over from short range. Kacper Mroz successfully made the conversion to make it 10 – 0.
Just 4 minutes later, Tom Langton stepped through the defence to dot the ball down out wide on the right. The conversion went wide. Score 14 – 0.
With just 14 minutes gone, Crigglestone were already struggling to keep up and resorted to several late and high challenges, some of which were spotted by the referee but not all. But the Buffaloes were not discouraged and responded with a commanding performance. Returnee Lochlan McGill was far too strong when he sized up his options before going in under the posts in the 21st minute. Kasper Mroz stepped up to add the conversion bringing the score to 20 – 0.
Bramley continued to maintain possession, and it wasn’t long before they crossed the line again. In the 26th minute, Ben Wilkinson went in from close range for an unconverted try. Score 24 – 0.
As the Buffaloes tails were up, Crigglestone soon had to defend their line again. Jack Boot backed up a strong run by Cameron McLachlan to race away under the posts in the 29th minute. Kacper Mroz added the extras making it 30 – 0.
Against the run of play, Crigglestone posted their only try of the match. Following a short high kick-off, the ball appeared to have just gone the required 10 metres when Tom Langton picked it up. However, the referee felt Tom had handled the ball before it had reached 10 metres and penalised Bramley. Crigglestone took a quick tap, and the ball found the wingman wide out on the left. It may be unkind of me to mention that the wingman had his foot in touch when he took the pass before scoring by the flag. However, the referee allowed the try. The conversion attempt went wide. The score was now Buffaloes 30 – 4.
In the 33rd minute, normal business resumed when the Buffaloes regathered the ball from their kick-off, and Bailey Harmon went on a mazy run leaving the Crigglestone players in his wake to score under the posts. Kacper Mroz added the conversion. Score: 36 – 4.
In the 40th minute, Aidan Barranyi regathered his kick, leaving the Crigglestone defenders flat-footed, and scored a sensational try converted try to put the Buffaloes even further ahead. Score: Buffaloes 42 – 4.
As Crigglestone prepared for the kick-off, the referee indicated that there were just 40 seconds left of play in the half, which at the time seemed rather pointless. However, a fantastic break was made, and the ball reached Kieran Foster-Matthews, who raced down the field to score in the final few seconds of play. Kasper Mroz kicked the conversion, and the Buffaloes were now soaring high with a commanding lead of 48 – 4.
Half Time score: Buffaloes 48 – 4 Crigglestone All Blacks
The Buffaloes came charging into the second half led by wingman Lewis Johnson who finished off a magnificent 50-meter move with a try, out on the right, although it went unconverted. The scoreboard now read an impressive 52 – 4.
The momentum was clearly with the Buffaloes as they continued their onslaught three minutes later, with Jamie Donnelly leaping high to gather a cross-field kick and scoring another unconverted try, extending the lead to 56 – 4.
The relentless attack from the Buffaloes did not stop there, as Kieran Foster-Matthews got in on the action again by finishing another beautiful team effort out on the right wing. This took the score to 60 – 4 in favour of the home side.
In the 54th minute, the Buffaloes breached the Crigglestone line again. Lochlan McGill ran tirelessly throughout and set up Aiden Barranyi, who swept across the line for a converted try by Kacper Mroz. The scoreboard now displayed a staggering 66 – 4, and the crowd were excited to see what heights they could reach.
However, the game finished prematurely in the 62nd minute following an altercation between the two sides after Crigglestone had tackled a Buffaloes player, resulting in the referee calling an end to the game. The final scoreline stood at 66-4 in favour of the Buffaloes, who had put on a dominant performance to secure a well-deserved victory.
Full-Time score: Buffaloes 66 – 4 Crigglestone All Blacks
Team:
Buffaloes: 1) Jamie Donnelly, 2) Lewis Johnson, 3) Daniel Booth, 4) Bryn Perrott, 5) Kieran Foster-Matthews, 6) Kacper Mroz, 7) Aidan Baranyi, 8) Jacob Oldroyd, 9) Bradley Wilson, 10) Cameron McLachlan, 11) Thomas Langton, 12) Lewis Gaunt, 13) Lochlan McGill, Subs (All Used); 14) Jack Boot, 15) Bailey Harman, 16) Dylan Murphy, 17) Charlie McMurray, 18) Michael Wright, 19) Cameron McGill, 20) Nicholas Jones.
Tries: McLachlan (10), Perott (14), Langton (18), McGill L, (21), Wilkinson (26), Boot (34), Harman (35), Baranyi (40, 54), Foster-Matthews (42, 50), Johnson (44), Donnelly (47)
Goals: Mroz x 7
All Blacks: 1) Brandon Asquith, 2) Jonathan Benton, 3) Callam Gamble, 4) Alex Seale, 5) David Gibson, 6) Joshua Stanley, 7) Ben Mosley, 8) Tom Wigston, 9) Martin Robinson, 10) Colin Holgate, 11) Cameron Kiely, 12) Alex Mosley, 13) Shaun Smith, Subs (All Used); 14) Kieran Proctor, 15) Liam Pickering, 16) Richard Mccraw, 17) Thomas Padget, 18) Tom Howden, 19) Lee Harkin, 20) James Griffiths