L I O N S 2 0 1 2

On a beautiful summer morning we had the pleasure of welcoming the Warriors of Hunslet for the third time this season at home. Credit to Hunslet for coming to Featherstone due primarily to the ground works being carried out on their home pitch.

The match got underway with the Warriors playing down the slope, kicking deep into the Lions ranks. The forwards from either side doing their utmost to gain early dominance. They were soon to feel the pace of the game due to the heat and temperature of the day. The lion’s defensive line looked very solid in the first ten minutes with each player coming off the line in a solid unit. Jack Lloyd and Bradley Gott tackled everything above grass level today and in unison with their relative ball carries, both players were awesome and dominant. After persistent pressure in the Warriors twenty two, something different had to be tried to unlock the Hunslet defence. Louis Brown stepped up after some great interplay between Tom Tavakoli and Jack Townend and scored a marvellous try.

Defending and playing in open field as we were, it was hard to see Hunslet Warriors coming into the game. Not for the first time this season however hard graft on the first four tackles has been undone by weak tackles when it mattered. Again when we looked to have done the hard work, tackling shadows allowed the opposition centre to stride through to score easily. The kicker adding the conversion to his own try. Discipline was to be the key; any arguing to whose fault it was would surely undo the hard work in training over the last weeks. With minutes remaining to half time, the Lions forwards had got us up the field where we needed to be with two tackles remaining within the set, the ball was lost within the half backs boot laces. A good run by the opposition prop forward was thwarted by a double tackle by Jack Everson and Bradley Gott. On the second tackle, the opposition centre came onto the ball, with the defensive line not moving up as a unit, the player very easily brushed aside some half hearted tackles and strode comfortably half the length of the field to score over the home sides whitewash. The home team players perhaps ought to have made the player work a little harder for the score had some of the players gritted their teeth and chased him down field. With the successful conversion, the half time whistle blew. Six twelve down, the Lions had to decide what they wanted from this match!

With the Lions playing down the slope and the words of the coaches ringing in their ears, all the players had to compete for the team. Excellent work by the team involving some lovely flowing rugby and hit ups got us within touching distance of the try line. With two tackles remaining in the set, Kieran McQuillan fed the ball into the basket of Bradley Gott who run hard and strong at the opposition defence and went over for a great forwards try. Tom again converting to level the scores.

The following minutes belonged to the Warriors. The forwards ran hard and the backs were beginning to make the half breaks on the back of the forwards efforts. The Lions held out with some bone crunching tackles and determination. The ball thankfully was spilt by the large opposition prop forward after a well timed tackle by Bradley Gott.
After some excellent passing down the line, the position was set for Louis Brown on the fifth to craft a little deft kick towards the fringes. Ryan Dawson reading the play held his run very well and collected the ball majestically to go over for a brilliantly worked try. Tom Tavakoli just missing with the conversion. The pattern of scoring was exactly as the last two encounters between the sides on home turf. Surely we were not going to be undone for the third time running by two points?

With the home team players buoyed by the scoreline, the Warriors never let their heads go down. They knew that the game isn’t won until the full time whistle blows. The hard ground was beginning to take its toll also, Alex Dan, Jack Everson and Jack Townend suffering hard knocks as a result. All gamely though played through the pain barrier not wanting to let their team mates down. The Warriors tried all they could to unlock the determined efforts of the home teams defence. It wasn’t long though before the Hunslet stand off and play maker gathered the ball and once again brushed aside some half hearted and tired looking tackles; the successful kick making the score sixteen to eighteen, a result not unknown in this fixture. Dig deep, heart, commitment and pride in the shirt! What ever it had to take, it had to come soon.

With five minutes remaining, everyone was feeling the pressure. The Warriors looked full of running and the Lions looked dejected. On the fifth tackle, Conner Grace gathered the ball on the full and made good yardage. Conner is one of the uncompromising sorts of players but what he does he does very well and can be relied upon totally; he improves with every game he plays and never lets anyone down. Jack Townend came in to give the forwards a rest and made twenty metres up the centre field. Josh Mills took the next carry and made a further ten. Buster Lloyd came crashing on to the ball and then the turning point of the match, from the half way line, Ryan Dawson collected a ball from his boot laces. Ryan jinked his way through two tackles and then pinned his ears back and set off for the try line. Credit to the Warriors defence, no fewer than three players gave chase and didn’t give up until Ryan gleefully put the ball down to break the hearts of the away team. High fives and passion ran through the veins of the whole playing squad much to the delight of the Featherstone Lions entourage. Tom Tavakoli adding the conversion under pressure.

Four minutes to go. Indiscipline now would be punished; a couple of good sets and the victory would surely be ours. This Hunslet Warriors are not one of the best teams in the area for nothing, they will always come at you despite the scoreline. And so it proved; determined running had to be met with equal effort, great tackles by Kieran McQuillan, Jack Lloyd and Bradley Gott pushed the Warriors back beyond the twenty two. Jack Sweaton held his line fantastically well today and never put a foot wrong in defence. On the fifth, a great kick over the top looked all the way as though it was going to be gathered by the dangerous centre. Jack Townend calmly collected under immense pressure and cleared the lines. This deservedly earned Jack the magic moment award. Brad Simpson scooted from his own twenty two to make the hard yards.
Tom Tavakoli and Bradley Gott punched their respective weights forward as though their lives depended on them. The full time whistle blew, the Lions had done it the hard way but none the less the victory was ours. All the players played their part today both in attack and in defence; with a little more concentration and intensity the win could certainly have been easier. All the players deserved the praise in the club house after the game, Bradley Gott earning the opposition’s player of the match with a well deserved trophy for his tireless efforts. Thank you to the Warriors for such an appraisal and gesture

Final Thoughts:

“A couple of weeks ago we would of lost this game. With all the players at long last playing for each other, this game showed what can be achieved if we continue to do the simple things well”

Tries;

Ryan Dawson 2
Louis Brown 1
Bradley Gott 1

Kicks;

Tom Tavakoli 3

Top Tackler(s);

Bradley Gott 16
Jack Lloyd 14

Man of the Match;

Ryan Dawson; Two fantastic tries, great defence

Magic Moment;

Jack Townend; for his great defensive effort, smothering the ball with seconds to go

Team Player Award;

Ryan Lister; playing out of position at fullback, didn’t put a foot wrong