West Leeds took on Market Rasen in the Counties 1 North Shield Final at Castle Park on Sunday 18th May—and delivered a performance full of character, resilience, and flair to lift the trophy.

In what proved to be a fiercely contested final between two quality sides, Market Rasen came flying out of the blocks and dominated territory and possession for much of the opening 30 minutes. Wests were forced to dig deep defensively, absorbing relentless pressure and showing immense discipline to limit the damage to just a single unconverted try. With time ticking down in the first half, West Leeds were trailing 0–5 and under the cosh.

But just before the break, the momentum shifted. Wests earned a lineout 12 metres from the Rasen line and, with a well-executed driving maul, powered over for Nick Jones to touch down out wide. The conversion missed, but the try was crucial, bringing the game level at 5–5 at half-time. It was a sucker punch for Market Rasen, who must have wondered how they weren’t ahead after such dominance.

The second half told a different story.

West Leeds came out with real intent, tightening their grip on the game and controlling territory. The pressure began to tell as Keir Breakwell coolly slotted three penalties, nudging Wests into a deserved lead.

With confidence growing, Wests began to stretch the play and attack from touchline to touchline. Midway through the half, they broke the game open. Joe Bedford spotted a gap and surged through before drawing the last man to send Danny Booth under the posts for a superbly worked try. Breakwell added the extras, and West Leeds had opened up a commanding 21–5 lead with ten minutes to go.

To their credit, Market Rasen threw everything they had at West Leeds in the closing stages. But the Wests defence held firm—disciplined, physical, and relentless.

With the clock in the red, Joe Bedford fittingly had the final say, calmly booting the ball into touch to seal a memorable win. The whistle blew, and West Leeds were crowned Counties 1 North Shield Champions.

A huge thank you goes out to all the travelling supporters who made the journey—sharing this day with you all was the perfect way to cap off a special occasion.

Final score: West Leeds 21 – 5 Market Rasen
Shield Winners 2025. Up the Wests.