Where is the spirit?

BILLINGHAM LIONS V TYNEDALE

The Lions knew they would be up against Tynedale today as well as playing the team at the top of the league with an average win of 42 – 6 in previous games they were ringing round on the morning of the game trying to get a team together. Woodhouse had to surrender the six shirt and renew his centre partnership with Chris Ker and played despite limping even in the warm up with a groin strain or worse picked up in that historic win at Blaydon. After only two minutes a flowing move from the visitors caught Billingham cold with a try out wide. The Lions settled in to a more recognisable defensive pattern and looked strong and solid. On ten nminutes a move saw Andy Thompson pop to Sayers at the base of a scrum the backs were set away with some slick ball play and Hopley got his first run. With only yards to go the visitors backs swarmed on him but showing how much he has learned this season slipped the ball to Keenan to finish the move. Burgum was as usual everywhere knocking down the opposition along with Dan Westall in the back row as Fernie seemed to have Velcro hands catching everything the accurate Dave Raey threw at him. Chris Ker was lucky not to be seriously injured as a “horse tackle” and then an accidental knee to the back saw him stopped on one his trademark breakaways. This should have at least attracted a yellow and probably a red ahd the official seen it however nothing was given. Danny Youdale showed the way with some powerful drives deep into the Raiders half and on eighteen minutes Screen came inside on a great angle to score under the posts. On twenty eight minutes and then thirty three with Youdale having to be replaced by Rob McCabe Tynedale struck twice with a couple of missed tackles costing us dear. Billingham dug deep and held out to the turn around.
BILLINGHAM LIONS 14 TYNEDALE 19

The start of the second half saw the visitors score two in quick succession. No one was at fault for this or the skill of the opposition as two wicked bounces saw Lions players left standing when on a different day it would have gone our way but reuled in two Tynedale scores. Youdale had to be brought back limping as Dale Thompson took a knock and along with “Bruce” Scott drove hard at the Raiders defensive line. With a quarter of the game left Keenan was replaced by Sanderson out wide who looked to get in on the action straight away coming inside looking for work. Almost immediately Armstrong weaved through to score under the posts for our third try of the day. The Lions could have scored a couple of times as they pressed hard but rushed passes and some hard defending prevented this. The Raiders went further ahead with a push over try but the Lions, battered and bruised were not finished as they pressed and Youdale stretched to put the ball down over the line following a great rolling maul. This would have given us a bonus point but a Tynedale defender grabbed the ball and ran away with it and the official allowed play to continue despite originally signalling a try….Strange. Sayers was selected for a bit of rough stuff from three or four Raiders but the lads rallied and the handbags were put away.
We should have had a bonus point on the four try rule but that’s the game.
The Raiders however did say that we were the best side they had played this season, and it certainly was the closest game, closer than the score suggests. We came with only two substitutes and a few players with injuries who really should not have played. We had to blackmail, bribe, pull the old pals act and threaten players in order to get a side out. With a full and fully fit side I think we could have gained another “Blaydon” result.
BILLINGHAM LIONS 19 TYNEDALE 45