Leeds Tykes 27 Birmingham Moseley 30: How Tykes paid price for slow start but still bagged bonus points

The Yorkshire side had to settle for two bonus points against the Midlands outfit for the second time this season, having lost out 33-32 at Birmingham back in October.

Tykes’ fitness helped them fight back from a 20-5 deficit at half time, but they couldn’t quite do enough to take the win and remain second bottom of the table.

Birmingham Moseley were 17-0 ahead before Leeds opened their account, inside centre Tom Williams scoring late in the half, but the conversion was missed and Birmingham’s Dan Lewis added another penalty to make it 20-5 at the break.

Full-back Charlie Venables pulled back a penalty shortly after play resumed as Leeds Tykes came out looking sharp for the second half.

However, while they were threatening to add more points an interception saw Oliver Allsopp run the length of the pitch to score for the visitors and, suddenly, Leeds were 27-8 down.

Venables converted his own try to narrow the gap to 27-15, and flanker Will Smith and prop Xavier Valentine both scored tries, Venables converting once to close to 30-27 and ensure at least a bonus point.

But hopes of a late winning try were dashed by the whistle.