L I O N S 2 0 1 2

“Back to winning ways with an awesome defensive effort”
 
Stanningley v Featherstone Lions
 
Well, what a difference! What a difference, listening to the coaching staff and playing as a team makes. A couple of facts worthy of mention today; firstly Stanningley have never been nilled on their own patch, secondly Featherstone up until today had never beaten Stanningley. These facts highlight how well the Lions played for one another today.
 
With three defeats on the bounce for the Lions, Stanningley could have been forgiven for feeling confident today of making it four. The home team’s proud history behind them coupled with the weather conditions, made the home supporters confident of a home victory.
 
Today though, the wounded Lions roared the loudest. A couple of positional changes by our inspirational coach Wayne Simpson seemed to pay dividends from the start. Certainly the tackling in the middle of the park seemed to have more shape and balance as did the tackling on the fringes with the centres covering any mistakes on the wings and vice versa. Blockbusting tackles by the forwards drove the Stanningley play makers back time and time again. The big three of Sam Tallent, Jack (Buster) Lloyd and Bradley Gott were outstanding today both in attack and defence but these were no Kate Garraway performances, all the team today, forwards and backs alike played for each other and for the first time in a couple of weeks, inspired one another when the inevitable mistakes were made through the shear intensity and speed of the game.
 
The home team had no answer to the Lions commitment, playing much of the first half in their own. Aggressive tackling by the Lions was followed up by team mates pushing the attacking player backwards time and time again. This frustrated the Stanningley play makers who were used to having time on the ball and orchestrating the plays. The Lions never once let them settle into their style of play; particularly at home. Kieran McQuillan having a more pivotal role today found some of the form that he showed most of last season. Louis Brown also had a fantastic game, defensively again boxing well above his weight and in attack showing more maturity in trusting his team mates with the ball, well done Louis! Tom Tavakoli also showing flashes of last seasons form possibly due to his positional change into the second row. Tom seemed to enjoy the new role and was never  far away from the ball.
 
With the first half nearly at an end, a superb kick on the fifth by Louis nearly ended with Ryan Dawson collecting and scoring the try, Ryan just failing to gather the ball over the line. On the wing with cold fish fingers doesn’t help in these conditions. The first half ended nil apiece but this was no boring draw, this was rugby league football at its best, no quarter was asked for and certainly none was given by either team.
 
With the wind (and rain) behind us; and playing `down the hill` the Lions started the second half as they had ended the first. Three forward drives, a couple of moves through the backs and a kick on the last, forced the Stanningley team back into their own twenty two repeatedly, so confident were the Lions of their defensive line.
 
Given the weather conditions, mistakes were very few and credit must go to both sides; however our very own Sonny Bill, Sam Tallent came up with what most people believed was the turning point of this match. Josh Mills whilst making a tackle on the oppositions number ten was assisted by a `Sonny Bill` from Sam. Thus forcing the ball free and leaving the player on the ground nursing a bruised shoulder. This inspired the Lions and seemed to deflate Stanningley. From the resultant play `Buster` Lloyd and Bradley Gott made good ground up field. Brad Simpson and Tom Tavakoli linked brilliantly to send Louis Brown on a weaving diagonal run towards the try line, despite three would be tacklers Louis dived bravely to score a fantastic try. Tom Tav, ` not surprisingly missing the conversion due to the wintry conditions.
 
The Lions had ten minutes left to defend a most famous victory! The coaching staff asked for one last effort and to `show pride in the shirt` today they were not to be disappointed. Alex Hopkinson jinked his way around the park, Jack Sweaton and Ryan Dawson also coming into the fray to gain valuable ground much to the relief of the Lions forwards. Jack Townend never stopped talking to his team mates all day, lifting them both with his words and his surging runs when it mattered the most. Ryan Lister and Brad Simpson also ran themselves into the ground today always pushing - always prompting for the benefit of the Lions team.
 
From a punt up field, Stanningley made only their second foray into the Lions half. Punishing tackles followed by the defensive line which pushed the home teams forwards and play makers back yard after yard. On the fifth Bradley Gott was penalised for not standing square at the play the ball three yards out from our own try line. A couple of weeks ago this would most definitely of resulted in all the players arguing and blaming each other, today was to be different. The team gelled and from the tap the Stanningley number six came a crashing, a full on, man and ball tackle by the penalised player drove the attacker back ten yards. The second runner came in and tested his metal against the Lions defence. A second full on tackle by three defenders, Jack Sweaton, Josh Mills and Jack Lloyd pushed the player into touch much to the displeasure of the home  supporters.
 
With just minutes to go, Louis Brown kicked down field to relieve the Lions try line. A fantastic chase followed by Brad Simpson, Jack Lloyd and Alex Hopkinson which in turn forced a mistake by the home team on their own try line. With this, the referee called full time to jubilant scenes from the players, coaches and supporters alike. This was an historic win and one the Lions should be extremely proud of from number one to thirteen
 

Final Thought:
 
“If we play and train as a team; this team could go a very long way.  Listening to the coach(s) over the last few weeks certainly gave us the reward today”
 
Tries;                             Kicks;                          
Louis Brown   1       
               
Top Tackler(s);             Man of the Match;     
Bradley Gott   17             Bradley Gott for an all round forwards display       
Jack Lloyd      15  
 
Magic Moment;
Sam Tallent for the `Sonny Bill` which turned the match, the Lions way
 
Team Player Award;
All of the team for a joint defensive effort