The result means Sheffield can still make the end of season play-offs, but not as league champions. They will face a difficult challenge away from home in the next round of fixtures in order to progress.

The Sabres went into the game full of confidence and expected to consolidate their emphatic victory over Lancaster in their first game after Christmas.

However the home side did not count on the spirit and ability of the Leeds defence, who never let Sheffield gain any fluency in their play.
The opening quarter saw neither side come close to breaking the deadlock until the dying seconds when a determined run by Sheffield running back Sam Broughton saw the ball into the visitor's end zone only for an official to halt play due to an earlier infringement.
The second quarter picked up from where the first had left off with both sides' defences on top.

But a fumble at the snap by the Sabres' quarterback Paul Musker ten yards from his own end zone gifted the Celtics possession.

Despite the best efforts of the Sheffield defence, of which George Pollard and Elliott Josypenko were outstanding all game, the Celtics were able to bundle the ball into the end zone and successfully kick the resulting conversion.

With the deficit just seven points at half-time, the Sabres clearly felt they were still in the contest and, following some strong words from the coaching team at the interval, began the third period with renewed aggression.

However, Leeds' defence held firm and Sheffield never really came close to restoring parity.

If the Sabres were frustrated by the third quarter, they would have been infuriated by the fourth. Just when chances began to present themselves and Musker's passes started to find their target, the visitors put the game beyond doubt.

With less than ten minutes to go, a speculative pass from the Celtics' quarterback was fortuitously deflected into the hands of an attacking player,who was able to run the ball for a touchdown unopposed.
Adam Lilley, the Sabres' defensive line coach, blamed bad luck and poorly implemented plans for his side's defeat.

He said: "We just didn't execute our plans offensively. I wouldn't go so far as to say that they outplayed us, but they did execute their plans more effectively and got a couple of lucky breaks. We didn't get those breaks and it cost us."

This story is from the University of Sheffield's student paper, the Steel Press. Visit their webpage for more stories.