On a wet, damp, miserable afternoon Belper lived up to the conditions to produce a below par performance against old foes Leesbrook.

Belper played into the wind in the first half, aiming to weather the storm and use the elements in the second half to go back at the homeside, but Leesbrook who have struggled to find form this season seemed the more up for it despite having a much older set of forwards to the team last played against in Midlands 6 in the previous season. Missed tackles and lack of communication nearly cost Belper on numerous occasions with Blount and Naylor saving trys with some heroic last ditch tackling.

The forwards did well with the evergreen York chasing in both attack and defence taking the ball to the opposition and stealing when required but Belper seemed disjointed and never really flowed in the first half.
Half time saw the game on a knife edge 0-0

Belper kicked off with the wind in the second half and with the boot of Blount putting Belper deep into the visitor's half on numerous occasions Leesbrook didn't seem to have much to offer, 2 penalties were won in front of the posts and Blount couldn't convert, But moments later Belper took the lead, following some excellent work in the forwards from Adams and York picking and going, Belper had drawn the forwards into a ruck and the ball was spun by Naylor wide to Meakin who dashed through a gap in the home side's back line to sprint in under the posts with Blackwell converting 7-0

Belper held the lead til 10 minutes to go when they found themselves down to 13 men when 2 players were sin binned for foul play, both being warned but continuing to handle on the ground or kill the opposition's ball in the ruck, Belper found their lead reduced to 4 points following the second sin binned player, Omara went of to join Skivington and Leesbrook's 10 slotted the penalty

Belper now held on by their teeth but with seconds remaining the homeside spun the ball wide from a ruck and as Tennick tried to get across to the winger he was outpaced and side-stepped for Leesbrook to take the lead, scoring in the corner 8-7

Belper kicked off and went after the ball but ran out of time as they knocked on in the tackle and continue their 3 match losing run