Lions Maintain Gap at the Top

An away game at Old Yardleians, where a 13-0 half-time lead last season led to ultimate defeat, ended with a 30-10 win and maximum bonus points, but coach John Tibbetts will know that things could go much better, with an uncharacteristically poor start against opponents who proved tougher than earlier in the season.

The Lions started as if they had a train to catch and it showed with misplaced passes, lost balls in contact and a general feeling amongst fans that there was too much, rather than too little urgency. Play was fractured, suiting the sizeable home pack and the Lions didn’t do enough to move their opponents around and build phases.

An early Trinham penalty was matched by a drop goal and then another penalty from Trinham was followed by pressure on both lines, with the penalty count mounting against the Lions. Eventually, however, some fine movement and interpassing from left to right saw Joe Loverock charge over down the wing and gain enough space for Trinham’s conversion. Half-time left the Lions 13-3 up.
Yards mounted good pressure in the opening minutes of the second half but despite this Fallows scored the first of his 2 tries under the posts, with a smart inside pass in the backs and another conversion from Trinham. Shortly after a breakout and pressure from the Lions backs put Fallows over again down the left wing for 25-3 lead with around 30 minutes to go.

At this point the Lions performed their previous season’s tricks of going off the boil and Yards put the defence under extreme pressure, scoring a try from a scrum under the posts and bringing the score back to 25-10. Thereafter the were a few yellow cards for both sides and the Lions, mindful of the chasing pack led by Camp Hill and Leek, pushed for the 4th try and the bonus point. Eventually, almost bang on time a line out against a home side short of 2 sin-binned players, led to a drive to the line and a touch down under a pile of bodies by Jim Owen.

A hard-fought match against energetic opponents who belied their league position left the Lions 2 points clear at the top after Walsall and Camp Hill both lost. There will be tough games ahead but, failing injuries and other absences, this is the best position the Lions have ever been in and they have a chance to go even higher if they maintain form.

by
JON DEWS