A great performance from the Lions

BLAYDON GEORGIANS V BILLINGHAM LIONS

A minutes silence was held prior to the start of this game as we received the news of the passing away of Jack Taylor, a well known former Billingham player. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
Doubts about injuries saw Turnbull called up to the centres in an otherwise unchanged back line. A physical front row of Youdale, Wallace and Robinson were powered by Scott and Fernie. Woodhouse was called in to the back row to join Phil Raey and Durnion.
With a strong wind at their backs and the memory of big scores in the last two meetings Blaydon attacked and attacked and attacked again. The first quarter of the game had gone before we got out of our half but the scoreboard was blank. Chris Ker had the honour of being the first to breach the halfway line with a trademark powerful run. Our pack came into its own powering in the scrums to allow Sayers ball to set the backs away against the very well organised home defensive line.Youdale was unlucky not to score as he broke from just inside their half and it took three defenders to pull him down. Deep into injury time the Georgians finally breached our defences to go in leading at half time with a converted try.
BLAYDON GEORGIANS 7 BILLINGHAM LIONS 0
Just after the restart Kev McCabe replaced Danny Robbo his opposition prop was glad to see him go after a torrid time in the tight only to get more of the same from “The Missile”. After only five minutes and some savage rucking our back row stole the ball and Turnbull burst clear to score with Armstrong’s trusty boot levelling the scores at seven all. Durnion showed his skill with the boot when Blaydon pressed clearing well down field and Keenan was unlucky as the bounce favoured the home side after a long chase. Hammond playing his final game before needing medical treatment replaced Youdale in the front row. Hopley showed his prowess in defence when tackling one player and managing to get the second tackle in on the overlapping winger. It was this kind of determination throughout the side that was wearing the home side down as we pressed hard. On twenty seven minutes Ker put a grubber kick deep into the Blaydon red zone and their full back remembering last week kicked it into touch with Hopley bearing down on him. Scott took clean ball from the line and our pack drove on with a great rolling maul. Wallace broke off the back and was tackled just short, his arm seemed to grow as he stretched to just make the line and score a well worked forwards try. Winspear was brought into the fray to replace Keenan out wide to counteract the fresh legs brought on by the home side as the game flowed back and forth. Almost from the restart Armstrong took the ball from Sayers on halfway and set off with Winspear outside him. The Georgians defence seemed totally confused as both defenders went for the winger and left a clear path through for Armstrong to score. With only minutes to go Woodhouse took a boot in the face with the Blaydon medics suggesting a serious injury however with a bit of vas and a plaster he was able to finish the game before getting stitched.
Billingham held out and after five minutes of injury time the whistle brought an end to what was a magnificent performance against a very good opponent.
Manager Mike Brown justifiably praised every player in the eighteen man squad and awarded an unprecedented for “Man Of The Match” awards.
The coach trip back was understandably bouncing and with two “new boys” in Wallace and Hopley and a stopover in the Black Bull in Shotton a good day at the office.
BLAYDON GEORGIANS 7 V BILLINGHAM LIONS 19

Well done 3TM 57 – 7 against Bishop Auckland.