Clock beats the Lions

Lions V West Hartlepool

The return fixture after what was a poor performance away at West when the Lions went down 80 – 17 looked to be another hard day for the lads. No one could have predicted what was to come on a chilly afternoon at Greenwood. Amos joined Robinson and Youdale in the front row and Robinson showed the benefit of his new training regime as he sprinted around in defence. Dalton added his experience to the power house partnering Fernie to dominate the line out together and Finney pulled round after illness to return at nine partnering Armstrong at ten. The visitors drew first blood after 11 minutes with a converted try but Billingham were in a better position than the last meeting. A couple of minutes later we were awarded a penalty which Armstrong stroked over from out wide. The game flowed back and forth and West struck again on the half hour with a well taken backs move. West committed offence after offence in their red zone culminating in one then another player being yellow carded and maybe a penalty try should have been awarded. With half time moments away Oliver broke a tackle and galloped towards the West defence and gifted Keenan a perfect pass to race in to score.
Lions 10 West Hartlepool 12
No changes at half time but Brown brought on Woodhouse to renew his centre partnership with Ker and replacing Westall. This meant a reshuffled back line with only three minutes gone moving Sudron to his more accustomed full back position giving him license to join the line at will. With ten minutes gone Youdale made a cross field run drawing in defenders and handing off players and passing out to Hopley who weaved his way through to score. Chapman and Oliver were joined by Scott who replaced Guz who had carried well again all game as we pressed with some good moves.This brought together a mix of youthful exhuberance and a wealth of experience The Stags drew level then went ahead with two unconverted tries with an hour gone. Brown decided to ring the changes with Sayers coming on at nine, Winspear on the wing and Rob McCabe in the front row replacing Finney, Keenan and Youdale to try to pull back the deficit however West struck twice more and took a fifteen point lead. Keenan had to return out wide as Hopley felt a twinge in his thigh and it was decided not to risk aggravating an injury. The Lions pressed hard with Ker marshalling the attacks and making great breaks into space all game. We pressured the Stags into a mistake just outside their twenty-two (that’s an age thing) and we were awarded a penalty but a West player grabbed the ball and hoofed it away to prevent a quick tap and go from Sayers. Woodhouse shouted for a ball and quick thinking from Guz on the line threw one on. A quick tap and a race to the line to score with two minutes to go plus injury time and trailing by eight points and one try short of a bonus point, game over maybe. Straight from the kick off Scott gathered it and set off towards the opposition half. Keenan benefitting from the break was on his shoulder to take the ball over the line and Armstrong completing a perfect day with the boot pulled us back within a point with the conversion. The clock was against us and ran out with us pressing hard, we were unlucky not to win but it was a far better result than the away game
The speed of ball through hand had at times bemused the Stags defence and on a different day we could have come away with a win.Well done a very even game which could have gone either way.
Lions 31 West Hartlepool 32