In rainy conditions up north, Exeter University made sure that the cloud remained firmly over their hosts, as EURFC secured a backs-to-the-wall 22-16 victory at Headingley Campus: securing their third win from the opening four rounds.

Despite a double from Leeds Beckett winger Conor Oresanya, Exeter held on with tries from Oli Burrows, Arthur Relton and Kofi Barton-Byfield; Josh Barton adding 7 points from the tee.

With heavy rain forecast to hit during the match, both teams were looking to make a fast start. With Exeter looking to threaten in the Beckett half, wing Conor Oresanya managed to get a hand to a pass from Tom Hitchcock, gathering at the second attempt to race in from 60m for the perfect start for the hosts.

That early setback didn’t seem to fluster Exeter though, as they continued to stick to their task.

With Will Yarnell and Josh Barton pulling the strings from halfback, a series of strong carries from Christ Tshiunza and some superb breakdown work from Toby Smith but their side in a promising position, only for the referee’s whistle to halt the charge.

After Beckett kicked long, wing Eddie Bullock found space in the Leeds defence, bursting from well inside his own half up to deep inside the Beckett 22. With the hosts defence struggling to regroup, Charlie McCaig’s delicate grubber just evaded the onrushing Kofi Barton-Byfield, bobbling into touch.

It mattered little though, as Oli Burrows pounced from an overthrown Beckett lineout, to open his side’s account for the afternoon, Josh Barton’s conversion edging his side into the lead.

Two minutes later, Exeter were in again, Arthur Relton scoring what will surely be a try of the season contender with a fine individual effort.
Collecting the ball on his own 10m line, the fullback found a gap in the Beckett defence, bursting through and turning on the afterburners, to power past the Beckett fullback to score, much to the delight of his teammates.

A shellshocked Beckett looked to find a way to haul themselves back into the match, as they continued to probe for opportunities against a resolute Exeter defence.

Whilst they were unable to break down the defensive wall, Exeter found themselves on the wrong side of the referee’s whistle, Olly Toomey converting a simple penalty.

EURFC’s Josh Barton then had an opportunity to slot a penalty to restore his side’s 9-point advantage. Despite the kick drifting wide, Exeter continued to hold onto the momentum, with another score arriving soon after.

As Beckett illegally pulled down an Exeter maul that was trundling ever-closer to the try line, flyhalf Barton used the advantage to perfection, floating an inch-perfect pass out to Kofi Barton-Byfield for his second try in as many matches.

Toomey then slotted a penalty for his side to cut the gap again, but Exeter headed into the sheds at the break in a strong position, as the predicted rain began to fall.

HALF-TIME: LEEDS BECKETT 11-19 EXETER UNIVERSITY

At the break, Beckett made a number of tactical changes in the hope of chasing the lead.

For Exeter though, they continued to stick to their patterns, Barton slotting another penalty to stretch the lead to 11.

With the rain now lashing down, Beckett found themselves in the ascendency, both territorially and in the mind of the referee, who continued to penalise Exeter for breakdown infringements.

As Beckett began to secure scrum penalty after scrum penalty, the referee issued a final warning to the EURFC pack, with the hosts camped within 5 metres of the try line.

As the clocked approached the hour mark, Exeter came up with what would prove to be a huge moment in the match.

After the scrum had responded to the power of Beckett with a huge drive of their own to almost win the penalty, Yarnell popped up on his own try line to secure a crucial turnover for his side, Barton clearing long to alleviate the pressure.

With the rain now lashing down, Barton had a chance to further extend the lead with a quarter of an hour to go. Kicking into the wind, his shot looked to have crept over the posts from the side-line. The officials though, thought otherwise, deeming the kick to have just slipped wide.

Beckett continued to ratchet up the pressure, Harvey Dunn seeing yellow moments later after multiple team warnings from the referee finally caught up with Exeter.

With the man advantage and some fast hands on show, Leeds finally forced their way over for a second try of the match with little under 10 minutes left, Oresanya racing in for his second, after centre Tom Bullough had found him on the right wing with a perfectly timed pass.

Crucially though, the conversion was missed, as Exeter continued to put their bodies on the line. To a man, they were superb in those final moments, popping up with tackles and turnovers aplenty to stop Beckett in their tracks.

With the clock ticking towards the red, a driving maul from halfway took play into the Beckett 22, the hosts collapsing it illegally, allowing replacement Harvey Graham the opportunity to kick for the posts and seal the match.

His kick fell short, but the Exeter defence were there like a flash to keep Beckett camped down on their own try line.

In a final throw of the dice, Beckett looked to chip over the top of the Exeter defence, but replacement scrum half Niall Armstrong was alert to the danger, seizing upon the bouncing ball, before promptly booting it into touch, to secure a hard-fought victory for his side.

Next week, EURFC will return to the surroundings of Sandy Park, as they take on an unbeaten Cardiff Met side in a standout Anglo-Welsh clash at the top of the table.

Supporters can buy their tickets in the Forum or via FIXR, for what is sure to be a match fitting of the venue and occasion.