Flanker Dan Hyde's opportunist score earned Leeds a superb Zurich Premiership
win against the odds at London Irish.
The Exiles controlled long spells of the game with Barry Everitt converting it
into points with two penalties in each half.
But they could not create any real try-scoring chances until the final moments
when Leeds dug in on their line against a series of five-metre scrums.
Hyde's try was backed up by a conversion, two penalties and a drop-goal from
Gordon Ross.
And despite a lengthy injury list, Leeds are now in the top-half of the table
for the first time this season.
Irish had made just one change to the side that snatched a 17-16 win to end
Sale's unbeaten start to the season, recalling Mike Catt in midfield to replace
Nils Mordt, with Scott Staniforth's groin injury allowing talented 20-year-old
Delon Armitage to extend his run on the wing.
Leeds made only one change to the side that beat Worcester by bringing in
Scotland Under-21 international Mark McMillan for Alan Dickens at scrum-half.
But Iain Balshaw's fitness worries continued. The England winger started his
comeback at Worcester was pulled out of the squad on the morning of this game.
Leeds could have done with some of his finishing prowess in a disjointed first
half until Dan Hyde grabbed an opportunist score in injury time.
Chris Bell had gone close in a sweeping 25th minute move into the left-hand
corner, but hung on instead of passing and was bundled into touch five metres
short.
And with Geoff Appleford leading a thumping defensive line, Irish were good
value for a 6-3 half-time lead until Hyde struck in the 40th minute.
Everitt couldn't hold on to a low pass at a scrum 20 metres from the Irish
line under pressure from the flanker, who followed up to hack over and touch
down with Ross converting.
Everitt had drilled over penalties in the third and 17th minutes for Irish,
either side of Ross's opener for Leeds.
But despite controlling most of the opening 40 minutes, the nearest they came
to a try was when a long-range Everitt penalty thumped the bar and Mike Catt
couldn't quite engineer an opening.
Hyde's try raised the temperature for both teams in a heavy downpour, with
Ross extending the lead with a 44th-minute penalty and Everitt responding three
minutes later.
Although Ross's drop-goal edged Leeds 16-9 up, Everitt set up what should have
been a frantic finale when his 68th-minute penalty pulled Irish to within four
points.
Everitt's handling let him down to halt one promising attack and Irish were
grateful to see David Rees lose control of the ball near the line after Michael
Horak's error at the back.
But the game reached a crescendo in the final moments with the Irish scrum
camped on the Leeds line.
Hyde was sin-binned by referee Sean Davey for killing one attack, but the
Tykes withstood a barrage of drives at the line from Phil Murphy until Irish
lost the ball in their final effort.
Teams:
London Irish: Horak, Armitage, Appleford, Catt, Bishop,
Everitt, Hodgson, Hatley, Russell, Hardwick, Kennedy, Casey,
Danaher, Dawson, Murphy, Roche.
Replacements: Mordt for Horak (74), Roche for Dawson (10),
Strudwick for Roche (48).
Not Used: Durant, Paice, Barrett, Mapletoft.
Pens: Everitt 4.
Leeds: Stimpson, Rees, Bell, Snyman, Biggs, Ross, McMillan, Shelley, Regan, Kerr, Murphy, Hooper, Dunbar, Hyde, Popham.
Replacements: Morgan for Murphy (73).
Not Used: Cusack, Rawlinson, Holt, Rigney, Dickens, Cardey.
Sin Bin: Hyde (80), Rigney (80).
Tries: Hyde.
Cons: Ross.
Pens: Ross 2.
Drop Goals: Ross.
Att: 6,410
Ref: Sean Davey (West Sussex).
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