Hamer puts it in a nutshell

ALNWICK V BILLINGHAM LIONS
The bus was packed as the Lions took the long trip North to Alnwick (pronounced Annick) With three number nines with first team experience it was decided that that Finney started gaining much needed game time following a nasty injury. The big surprise of the day was Zammo who turned up before the bus left but we reckoned he was just late for last week’s game. A very impressive debut for Thornton in the front row and a return for Burgum and Kirby to the team. The lions pressed hard with Anderson carrying well as the pack drove forward. A loose pass was intercepted by the home side who went the full length of the field to score. After twenty five minutes Shepherd made a try saving tackle but took a knock which brought Davies into the fray. The Lions were stunned with two very well worked tries from a very well drilled home side. Bates who was verbally quiet (well done ) let his tackling do the talking hitting the attacking players hard. Then Davies tackling like a twenty year old was thrown over and took a hit causing him to leave the field. This left the two nines on the bench arguing who should go into the back row (both wanted to) Hamer exercised his management prerogative and put Smooth on. Alnwick further increased their tally as Billingham struggled to put moves together until Finney who looked sharp despite his long lay off spun the ball out. It reached Foster who Alwick expected a charge from but he popped it to Mallam and in a flash he fed Keenan who sprinted around the defence to open our score deep into first half injury time.
ALNWICK 26 V BILLINGHAM LIONS 5
Westall had defended well and had taken a knock as had Foster so Shep was recalled and Elgie came on for Foster. With half an hour left Finney who came through the game unscathed and looked fully fit was replaced by Woodhouse playing his last game for the club (again). The old head immediately wound up the Alnwick nine who was about to feed the scrum. Hammond spotted the delayed put in and pinched the ball with Thompson heeling it swiftly back Dixon picked up and charged. Two defenders were needed to bring him down as he popped to Burgum who weaved his way up field spinning it to Armstrong who finished the move in style from distance. A bit of indiscipline saw Alnwick add six points to their score before we pressed again. The Lions upped their game and returned to the flowing rugby we are used to and it was thought Hopely should have been awarded a penalty try as he broke clear of the defence with a superb jinking run but was pulled back from behind by his collar. Right on full time with phase after phase saw Thornton, Hammond and Anderson driving hard at the home line with Thompson and Kirby taking over. As gaps started appearing Elgie came on an angle drawing the defence taking the pass from the base of the ruck passing to Armstrong to Bates who took a big hit but managed to set Mallam away despite his slight build hammered his way over to score much to the delight of his Mam
ALNWICK 32 V BILLINGHAM LIONS 15
Reporters Comment The young guns kept up the rugby tradition after the game. The score flattered Alnwick and Rob Hamer has the worst management job in the club as running the Lions means an ever changing team even changing from day to day. We won the last half hour 10 points to six. Is this really the last game Woody will play? He is now third in the league of number of retirements behind Barry Magrath and Dizzy Don.
Managers Comment. We need to get down to training for a more cohesive team performance this would have possibly given us a win.