Rugby Union: I felt intimidated as I stood over cup-winning kick, says Leek ...

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GARY McDermott admitted he felt intimidated as he stood over the last-minute kick which secured Midlands Intermediate Cup final glory for Leek.

Moments before, replacement Naz Narawa had crashed over to draw Leek level at 14-14 with Midlands Two North rivals Bridgnorth in front of a 600-strong crowd at Esterchem Park.

That left skipper McDermott to slot over the conversion, from just right of centre, to earn the Moorlands club a 16-14 win and possession of the trophy for the first time in their 91-year history.

Leek will now host Cumbrian side Aspatria on Saturday, April 19 in the national semi-finals, with the winners progressing to Twickenham.

“I was just trying to block everything out, but the crowd went silent, which made it intimidating,” said fly-half McDermott.

“I focused on trying to kick through the ball and thankfully it went over.

“I expected the referee to blow after that, but we restarted and I was just praying we didn’t give away a stupid penalty.”

McDermott needn’t have worried. Leek turned the ball over on the resumption, and the captain himself found touch to spark the celebrations.

Bridgnorth’s players were left with heads in hands, unable to believe they had lost a game which they’d controlled for the majority of the afternoon.

The Shropshire side were 14-3 up entering the final 10 minutes, but their discipline faltered to open the door for Leek.

Dan Griffiths and Craig Thomas were both sin-binned for infringements – and Leek took full advantage.

McDermott kicked two penalties in the closing stages to keep the home side in range, but they were left gambling on one final play to grab the decisive try.

And with the momentum having swung in the Moorlanders’ favour, Dan Needham found McDermott from a ruck.

His injection of pace broke the Bridgnorth line, before his off-load left Narawa with the task of finishing off the move.

McDermott completed the turnaround with his trusty boot, and insisted he never doubted Leek could battle back.

“We have come on strong in most games this season, and I knew we had something left in us,” said the 31-year-old, whose side also top the Midlands Two North table.

“We weren’t going to surrender meekly. It wasn’t a fluent performance, but that was perhaps a combination of us being nervous and Bridgnorth playing well.

“The sin-binnings helped us, and in the last period of the game there was that growing belief that we could come back.

“Up to that point we weren’t really in the game, but I kept hammering home to the lads that they should keep their chins up and keep going.”

McDermott had handed Leek an early lead with a penalty, but from that point Bridgnorth took control of the game.

They seemed on course to avenge their two league defeats at the hands of Leek when Will Biddell slotted over a penalty and Will Crossley capitalised on an error to cross for the game’s first try.

Biddell’s boot extended the visitors’ lead heading into half-time, and they maintained the pressure at the start of the second period.

Another penalty made it 14-3, and it required some tenacious – and sometimes desperate – defending to prevent Bridgnorth from moving further clear.

Gradually, however, Leek clawed their way back into the match, with centre Sam Hunt’s rampaging runs leaving 14-man Bridgnorth on the back foot.

And with time running out, Nawara’s try and McDermott’s conversion sealed a glorious comeback.

McDermott conceded that the prospect of leading his side out at Twickenham has already crossed his mind.

“This is probably the highlight of my rugby career, and it certainly means the most because it is my hometown club,” he added.

“The support from the crowd was unbelievable and the volunteers all did a fantastic job to make it a memorable day.

“I said to the players beforehand that you don’t get many games or seasons like this and you have to cherish it.

“At amateur level, the opportunity to play at Twickenham is a dream. Have I thought about it? I’d be lying if I said I haven’t.”

LEEK RUFC: Dan Smith, Nick Palmer, Sam Hunt, Liam McDermott, Jack Newton-Taylor, Gary McDermott, Ian Harris; Jason Milner, Bobby Cheadle, Tom Hine, Ed Harrison, Tom Sims, Ade Nettel, Luke Staton.

Replacements: Luke Granger, Luke Harden, James Wilson, Neil Edge, Josh Mays Woodhead, Dan Needham, Naz Narawa.

Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/bbcs-call-centre-firm-sponsor-4729766

Rugby Union: I felt intimidated as I stood over cup-winning kick, says Leek ...