: Mon May 21, 2007 12:59 pm
Gateshead Storm 38 – Leeds Akkies 24
Gavin Houston reports from Gateshead International Stadium
STORMING FIRST HALF BLOWS AKKIES AWAY
Gateshead Storm registered their second win of the RLCN season running out 38-24 winners against Leeds Akkies. Akkies started well and forced several Storm errors which culminated in Gateshead defending five sets of six on their own line in the first few minutes. Storm held strong though and Leeds failed to capitalise.
Gateshead were first on the score sheet, a break from centre Jonny Cloak was finished off by winger Lewis Carr, Gavin Houston missed the conversion.
Leeds then hit back and Storm indiscipline allowed Dan McCormack to slot over consecutive penalties to bring the scores level.
Storm then kicked on and produced a ten minute spell that blew Leeds away, Hooker Harry Gee exploited tired markers to score and then soon after a neat kick from Dave Vernon saw Carr cross for his second try and then from the resulting set Tom Crosby crashed over, Houston converted all three to see Storm lead 22-4.
Storm continued to make errors and this allowed Stand-Off Dan McCormack to slip through a gap and register his sides first try which he duly converted. Storm had the last word of the half though, a high kick on the last was split by Leeds winger Varly and this allowed Dave Vernon to dive over in the corner. Houston failed to add the extras.
The second half opened with Leeds registering the first points, slick hands saw Brad Conway over in the corner and when Mike Shires went over from close range the game was wide open again. McCormack adding one from two attempts.
Storm rallied though and put the game beyond Leeds with tries from Vernon, Bahadori and Carr who completed his hat trick pushing the score out to 38-20. Leeds finished strongly as Shires crossed again but it wasn’t enough to earn the bonus point.
GATESHEAD STORM: Liam Andrews, Lewis Carr, Jonny Cloak, Duncan Bain, Gavin Houston, Dave Vernon, Bobby Bahadori, Leon Pybus, Harry Gee, James Askwith, Brett Seawright, Chris Burnett, Neil Emmerson
SUBS: Simon Ayre, Tom Crosby, Matt Lumb, Darren Towart.
LEEDS AKKIES: Tom Bindloss, Andy Hogg, Dave McNidder, Steve Ewen, Tom Varly, Dan McCormack, Mike Shire, Andy Rigby, Ed Ainscough, Eamonn Ruane, Sean Maguire, Peter Letting, Alan Holdsworth SUBS: Scott Simpson, Brad Conway, Stu Houghton, Stu Kaye
Men of the match:
Gateshead: Brett Seawright
Leeds: Dan McCormack
Storm T: Carr 3, Vernon 2, Bahadori, Gee, Crosby G: Houston 3/8
Akkies T: McCormack, Shires 2, Conway G: 4/6
Gamebreaker: Storms score just before half time meant the Akkies had
too much to do in the second half.
Gamestar: Storm second row Brett Seawright who ran strong and made some big hits.
Half time: 26-10
