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Trinity Titans left heartbroken after getting agonisingly close to promotion

By Ryan Stewart

Despite an impressive season for Leeds Trinity University’s BUCS side, the Titans’ year ended in disappointment as their first team missed out on promotion to the Northern 2A league.

The Titans won five of their last six matches, but were ultimately pipped to the top spot in the league by rivals Leeds Beckett University’s second team.

The race for promotion from Northern 2B was a hotly contested one, with both Leeds Trinity and Beckett going up against fellow Yorkshire side University of Huddersfield firsts.

The Titans lost just two games in the 2016/17 season, but the losses to both Leeds Beckett and Huddersfield in November and December of 2016 respectively, saw the Titans just miss out on a promotion place.

It was a nervous end to the season for the Titans players, who played their last match of the season on March 1st – beating Durham 50 – 26 – but had to wait for the game between Leeds Beckett and Huddersfield to find out whether or not they would win the division.

Due to cup fixtures for both the teams, this game was played a fortnight after the Titan’s victory over Durham.  The Titans needed a Huddersfield win to knock Leeds Beckett from their perch on top of the league.

Many players from Leeds Trinity turned out watch the game, but the tie was won by Beckett who will play Liverpool and Manchester University firsts next season.

Titans fullback James Morelli spoke of his disappointment at missing out on promotion when speaking to the Yorkshire Voice.

Morelli described the fact that the team’s aim was to win the division at the beginning of the season, and falling short of that was frustrating.

On his personal performances, Morelli topped the Titans charts for try scoring in the 2016/17 season and was happy to cement his place in the team at full back.

The Titans will be hoping for better luck next year as they aim for promotion once again, when the BUCS season kicks off again in autumn.

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