WEST Park Leeds edged Yarnbury 24-20 in a pulsating local derby at Horsforth on Saturday.

Although Yarnbury were without prop Lewis Atha, speedy winger Josh Bateson and long-term injured No 8 Jimmy Cryan, the lads who have stepped in have been impressive.

Experienced prop Richard Lister, versatile scrum half Calum Newby and Martin Rainey with his power carries from the back of the scrum helped to destroy Grovians the week before.

West Park, four in Yorkshire Division Two, featured two former Yarnbury players, stand off Calum Smithson and full back Jack Brown, so the game had an added sense of spice and anticipation.

Yarnbury were put on the back foot from the kick-off as Park looked to counter on the left and made ground.

Yarnbury scrum half Les Crowther was penalised for a late tackle on the half-way line and the opponents attacked the Yarnbury line in earnest.

Yarnbury lost the ball in the tackle giving Park an early try, as left winger Harry Harrison scored out wide left as Crowther was binned for the offence. Smithson converted with a smart kick from the touch line.

Park were fired up on the new synthetic pitch and Yarnbury had to play catch-up rugby.

Yarnbury were caught off-side in front of their posts soon after and Park worked space down the right for prop Toby Rodger to scamper over for a second unconverted try.

Yarnbury countered strongly in the second quarter and worked space wide left for full back Joe Pinnick to touch down on the left, but he could not convert his own score.

The home side were punished just before the break when Park centre Harry Ibe ran a great line through the defence to score to increase the lead.

But Yarnbury forward pressure told on the break and Lister went in as the opponent's pack creaked. Stand off Will Marshall swung his boot magnificently from the touch line to convert the try and put Yarnbury back in the game, down 17-12 at half-time.

Yarnbury took the initiative from the start in the second half, but the West Park defence stifled the creative Yarnbury centres.

Marshall took a penalty following forward pressure to close the gap but Park defended their line into the wind and Yarnbury could not get their next score.

Winger Gareth Geoffreys countered with a sweeping run across the park and found space out wide left to race down the field dismissing tackles on his way to the line but the final pass to his co-winger Harrison put West Park further in front. Smithson's conversion made it 24-15 to Park.

A quick counter gave Yarnbury right winger Josh Bell the space to score an unconverted try, as the balance turned to the home side for the final minutes.

Yarnbury were camped on the Park line as the game became a battle of attrition, Yarnbury chasing a winning score and Park defending tenaciously.

The final play saw stand off Marshall dink a kick to the corner for the unmarked Bell but the ball drifted into touch.

A victory this Saturday at bottom club Old Otliensians is now a must win for the Horsforth side.