Coach Waddy’s recent recruitment drive for new players has proved to be more difficult than he’d imagined, having only been able to entice two new lads down to pre-season training. One of them, Emile Williamson – given the nickname of ‘Heskey’, could prove to be a valuable addition. The other, a young man wearing a onesie with the word ‘Dude’ splashed across the front, has yet to come back for seconds. He possibly prefers sleepovers to getting hit at regular intervals for forty minutes.

Despite the distinct lack of ‘new blood’, the fourteen lads who played so well during last season, and who for the most part have played together for the previous three seasons, have remained together and will undoubtedly become stronger and smarter as the new season unfolds. At least that’s what Waddy, Little Dave and Zak are hoping for, as today’s performance lacked energy, creativity and desire.

Last season’s expansive play was replaced with a more compact and seemingly toothless attack, hell bent on trying to barge their way over the line as opposed to exploiting the gaps out wide. The passing was by and large poor, leading to far too many handling errors which subsequently lead to KXP giving up possession and territory to an improved Elland team.

There were few bright points. However William Davidson’s breaks from dummy half and Todd Horner’s speed did trouble the Elland defence, with the two combining to score KXP’s only try of the game. A successful conversion by Noah Smerdon took KXP’s point tally to six, however unenforced errors and a lack of concentration allowed Elland to breach KXP’s defence on two occasions and with it the game, winning 12-6.

Match Report By Graham Smerdon