Lions back on winning ways

A two-week break gave the Lions greater focus and energy for the visit of Veseyans, who had scored a comfortable victory over the home side some months before.

Despite early pressure from the home side it was Veseyans who scored first, a penalty converted after 8 minutes. No matter, within a further 2 minutes the Lions were ahead, a ruck just outside the away 22 prompting a flowing backs move which left George Tildesley free to score down the right.

15 minutes later a further try came from a lineout, with the Lions in full flow and running the game. A lineout scramble and a couple of short passes left Jack Noott diving over the line for a try converted by Sam Wilson for a comfortable 12-3 lead.
Unfortunately, the game became littered with penalties and continuity for both sides became very difficult – nevertheless the Lions continued their pressure and scored again before the half, with a move from the lineout giving Scotty Langdon a break to the line, again converted by Wilson. 19-3 at half-time.

The second half contained more penalties than the first, with 36 given during the whole match. The move of the match just into the second half came as an incisive burst from half-way left Sam Wilson to fix the home defence and put Will Fallows in down the left. Shortly afterwards, however the Lions went off the boil and Veseyans came back into the game. Several minutes of powerful running and desperate defence resulted in a fine converted try for a score of 24-10.

The sheer weight of infringements was by now proving tiring for both players and spectators and it was from one of those that Wilson converted for 3 points and a 27-10 lead. Mercifully for all, the game came to an end with another Scotty Langdon try, again from a lineout, to leave the Lions comfortable winners.

A good performance puts the team in good heart for the cup final next week but coaches and players know that the performance and the intensity need to be at least 50% higher against a much more powerful Wolves.