ADAM Fletcher admits league leaders Leeds Tykes subjected his Lymm side to “a pretty brutal day” on Saturday.

However, the character the team showed in the second half will have reinforced belief that their spot in National League Two North for next season can be secured.

In facing a side that had a 100 per cent winning record this season having amassed 103 points from a possible 105, the men from Crouchley Lane were always going to be up against it despite being buoyed by their crucial win over Hull the previous week.

And so it proved, with the hosts running out 78-17 winners to leave Lymm 11th in the table with four games remaining, nine points clear of Billingham and Hull Ionians, both of whom are battling to avoid dropping out of the national leagues alongside seemingly-doomed Huddersfield.

“It was a pretty brutal day,” director of rugby Fletcher conceded.

“We couldn’t contain their power and pace in the first half and got completely blown away.

“We rallied well in the second half and showed some real character.”

Leeds had the game won by half time, with Lymm failing to deal with what was coming their way and despite some excellent defensive cover from the back three of Andy Rowley, Andy Williams and Alfie Simpson, they turned around 54-0 in arrears.

Changes were made at half time including debutant Sam Brown coming onto the wing, and he took just three minutes to mark his Lymm bow with a try as he raced over under the posts after Simpson had intercepted inside his own 22 to start a counter-attack.

That score allowed Lymm to grow in confidence and they started to put sustained pressure on the Leeds defence, but the hosts were still able to capitalise on continued Lymm errors to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

However, the visitors kept going – Cal Morris hacked a loose ball from a Leeds scrum downfield and his pace and controlled kicking ahead allowed him to beat the Leeds cover to score and when Simpson finished off a slick handling move from a scrum to touch down, the possibility of gaining a four-try bonus point was a real one.

Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t to be and Leeds fittingly rounded off the scoring to move themselves a step closer to a seemingly inevitable promotion.

As they look to break out of the division, Lymm’s mission to stay in it sees them welcome Sheffield Tigers to Crouchley Lane on Saturday.

Lymm: Gav Woods, James Pitcher, Matty Hand, Ben Thompson, James Yates, Josh Hadland, Harry Martin, Oli Higginson; Cal Morris, Tom Shard; Andy Rowley, Jack Reynolds, Paddy Jennings, Andy Williams, Alfie Simpson. Subs: Rob Makin, Jordan Widdrington, Rory Cartlidge, Sam Brown, Jack Stride