L I O N S 2 0 1 2

For the third match in a row the opposing team have taken the spoils by beating the Lions by two points. Apart from the oppositions team name it would be easier to just print off the same report for this week as it was last and the week before, however……….
 
Simply put; Drighlington are possibly the largest team in the division, Featherstone Lions are possibly the smallest. On their day what the Lions lack in size they can more than make up for with heart. Today Drig` played to their strengths and as a team unit, the Lions didn’t play to their strengths and once again played as individuals who at times, looked like they had never played together before. Often not passing to the player who perhaps was firstly, in a better position or secondly, in closer support. It should not matter who scores the tries as long as any player within the team scores them!
 
Again from the kick off the opposition got the better start. Weak tackling against this team was always going to lead to `points against` as it proved Drighlington took an early lead with a strong drive up the middle and support play by the Drig` players led to a typical forwards try which the Lions seemed to have stood back from and admired. The conversion was successful. The Lions hit back almost immediately with a similar try themselves, Jack Lloyd having another good game `busting` the opposition with his trademark surges. Sam Tallent drove well with Bradley Gott joining in to drive the Lions upfeild. Louis Brown finishing on the fifth tackle, with a well taken try. Tom Tavakoli adding the conversion. The big three of Sam. Jack and Bradley stood up well to the powerhouse forwards of Drighlington when at times they were beginning to look overawed by the constant running from midfield, they stuck in their and played their selves into the ground. With five minutes to go to the break, Drig` scored their second try with a barnstorming run from their colossus of a frontrower who drove through the Lions defence with would be tacklers hanging on to his shirt. Probably against the run of play, the Lions scored `a cheeky try` from the team player award winner, Brad Simpson. Tom again adding the conversion. With the half time score at 12-10 in the Lions favour and having not played particularly well, there was hope that if `the team` clicked into gear the game could be there for the taking.
 
The coaching staff of Wayne Simpson and Shane Lister did their best at the interval to get it through to the team, that what they have been doing in training all week would have to be taken onto the field. Passing it through sets of hands and getting it out of the middle where Drighlington are at their strongest would make a big difference to this game.
 
The second half got underway; in what was beginning to be a very fragmented half through injuries of one kind and another, Drighlington`s game plan was one of the same. Play up the middle, keep it tight but play it at speed. Drig`s third try was copybook forwards play, not pretty to some observers but very effective. Big drives, quick play the balls and passing rugby. This often caught the Lions out in defence as time after time we were still running back in defence when the opposition’s forwards were coming forward and so it proved with the third try scored. This time the conversion was missed. Something different had to be tried to unlock the uncompromising but enthusiastic tackling by the whole of the Drig` team. With ten minutes left a breakaway effort by Jack Sweaton gained good ground up centre field. Brad Simpson fed Bradley Gott who in turn passed out of the tackle well to  Kieran McQuillan, who despite illness continued to play on. From the play the ball, man of the match Louis Brown went in for his second try of the afternoon when at first, it appeared the wrong option had been taken. Josh Mills taking the successful conversion which with minutes remaining meant, that the Lions had to defend their lines as if their lives depended on it. With Drighlington and their coaching staff still believing they could win this game, a long kick off was taken and the Drig players ran on mass up the field. Punishing tackles by the forwards, not always textbook, forced a mistake by the Lions. From this position there was only one way forward for Drig,` the big guns were loaded and on the third tackle the impressive second row forward went in for a well taken try and left the Lions boys arguing amongst themselves `whose fault it was` 18-18 with the kick to come. The successful conversion was allowed to be taken from perhaps ten metres closer to the posts than it should have been by the fledgling referee despite advice to the contrary by all at the Lions.
 
Six points lost with six accumulative points being the difference in the last three matches would suggest the Lions have been at the wrong end of lady luck! All the matches however, could and should have been won with just a little humility and more of a team ethos.
 
Final Thought:
 
“In all honesty the game was not lost through the controversial conversion; it was lost because we did not follow the game plan set out by the coaches, we did not play as a team and again with the ball in hand, we took the wrong options”
 
 
Tries;                         Kicks;                          
Louis Brown   2         Tom Tavakoli   2           
Brad Simpson 1         Josh Mills         1          
               
Top Tackler;             Man of the Match;     
Jack Lloyd   13           Louis Brown                
Sam Tallent 13
 
Magic Moment;
Jack Townend for a pass off the touchline
to enable the second try to be scored
 
Team Player Award;
Brad Simpson for none stop effort