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After several weeks without a game, and with debuts for half backs Simon Amor and Mark Edwards, plus young winger Jordan Hands, it was inevitable that Lions would take time to settle.  Coupled with a cold blustery wind and heavy pitch which made open play difficult, Lions never really fired on all cylinders, but they were still far too strong for an outclassed but spirited West team.

West were first to take to the pitch wearing their black shirts, followed closely by Lions……also wearing black shirts.  The referee did not seem too unperturbed by this, although it was difficult to see how we could really play a game of rugby with both teams wearing the same coloured shirts!!  Nevertheless, West kicked off with a strong wind behind them, but soon realised that they were in for a hard afternoon as the Lions forwards immediately drove them back 50 metres.  West were penalised for illegally stopping the drive, and the kick to the corner set up a perfect take at the line by Tim Collier.  However, a knock on in the ensuing drive, the first of several which littered Lions’ first half play, allowed West to clear their lines.

Another drive by the Lions’ forwards eventually released the backs in the shadow of West’s posts, but a huge hit on Ian Hyde was deemed to be from an offside position.  Lions opted for the tap, and Tim Collier added to his already impressive try tally with a typical thundering run which West were unable to stop.  Simon Amor tagged on a simple conversion.

At this point Mal Malik saw red, and brought on a change of shirts for Lions who reverted to their traditional colour.  This change must have confused them, as from a scrum West’s centre strolled through a huge gap.  Lions’ defence was able to recover, but they were penalised in the process.  Unfortunately, as Phil Cuff was just about to strike the ball, the wind caught it and Phil (s)cuff(ed) his kick, denying West a deserved score. 

West were enjoying a rare moment of pressure, but Lions quickly brought them down to earth, as a turnover released Rob Field lurking in midfield on his own 22.  To cries of “run Forrest”, he tore downfield, and almost released Jordan Hands, but another knock on as the ball was worked back inside spoilt another promising move.

An excellent break and jinking run by Simon Amor saw the pressure back on West.  Following good play by the backs, Jordan Hands crossed in the corner, but he was denied a debut try by the referee who called play back for a forward pass.

Lions were being thwarted by their own inadequacies plus a resolute West defence, but another score was not long in coming.  Fielding a long West kick, Jacques Steyn set up the position with a good touchline run.  The ball was swung crossfield, and when Jordan Hands took a difficult pass from Simon Amor, the fly half looped round to take the return pass and canter in by the posts.  Unfortunately, what should have been a simple conversion hit a post.

A lightening break by scrum half Mark Edwards, who was having an excellent debut, should have seen another score, but a knock on by the supporting Sam Tovo let West off the hook.  More enterprising play by Jacques Steyn from full back with a delightful chip and chase saw West resorting to illegal means to stifle the attack.  Lions kicked the penalty to the corner and the inevitable take and drive saw the pack held inches short.  However, they were not to be denied, and at the resultant scrum they drove West back for Paul Thompson to pick up and drive over.  This time Simon Amor added an excellent conversion.

Play was then held up for several minutes as Mark Laycock, West’s fly half, was knocked out cold attempting to stop another barnstorming run by man mountain Tim Collier.  The players left the field for 10 minutes whilst a doctor attended to Mark, but happily it seems that the injury is not as bad as it first looked.  This was yet another severe blow for an already depleted West squad.  A similar incident at last week’s game at Nottingham saw one of their centres carried off on a stretcher after a jarring tackle.  They must feel that all the gods are conspiring against them at the moment.

John Stabler immediately made an impression with a lovely kick to the corner from half way.  This gave West the opportunity to put some pressure on Lions, but their defence was in no mood to concede any points, and a knock on by West allowed Lions to  clear.  Another break from full back by Jacques Steyn saw Eddie Saunders away, but desperate defence saw him put a foot in touch before he went over in the clubhouse corner.

Half time arrived with Lions enjoying a well-deserved lead, although it should really have been a bigger margin with several scoring opportunities spurned through poor handling.

Following a short break, Lions quickly re-established the upper hand.  When West illegally disrupted Lions ball at the base of the scrum, Mark Edwards took a quick tap and raced 30 metres through a bemused West defence, Matt Dawson style, to score a well deserved try.  Simon Amor missed the conversion.

A string of penalties to West allowed them a temporary incursion into Lions’ territory, but a series of drives by Lions’ rampant pack ended with Matt Davies powering over for a try.  Simon Amor added the conversion.

A typical Sam Tovo charge straight from the kick off should have brought more points, but frustratingly again Lions managed to knock on. However West were unable to relieve the incessant pressure, and a lovely dummy and switch pass saw Simon Amor put Ian Hyde in for the next try.  Unfortunately Simon then managed to miss yet another simple conversion.

West’s Henry Tones was then forced to leave the field with a painful injury (well it looked painful from the expression on his face as he walked towards the clubhouse), and at this point Lions brought on master tactician Paul Turner in the place of Ian Hyde.  As with Tim Collier’s replacement, this resulted in more positional shuffling, with Paul Turner taking over at fly half, Simon Amor reverting to full back, and Jacques Steyn moving to his favoured centre position.

A scintillating blindside break from the base of a scrum saw Mark Edwards streak down the touchline and beat the fullback for a brilliant solo score.  Paul Turner kicked the conversion from a difficult angle with consummate ease.

Paul Shadbolt was next to show his paces with a battering ram run that saw him held up just short of West’s line.  A poor pass in the ensuing passage of play saw the ball bobbling about on the ground, but Paul Turner was quickest in mind and body and was placing the ball over the line before anyone could touch him.  He also added another superb touchline conversion.

Lions were now totally dominant, but to their eternal credit, West’s heads never went down.  Another piece of Turner magic brought the next score.  From a midfield scrum on West’s 22, Sam Tovo picked up and fed Mark Edwards.  His pass to Paul Turner saw him getting man and ball, but quick as a flash he simply knocked the ball on to Simon Amor, whose perfectly timed run from full back saw him clean through.  That man Turner added another immaculate conversion from wide out.

West were now getting desperate in defence, and with 5 minutes of the game remaining, some “robust play” by their lock Andrew Davis, saw him sent to the sin bin to see out the rest of the game.  There was still time for another score as Paul Turner’s beautifully timed pass saw Jacques Steyn through the gap to race in from 30 metres.  Just to prove that he is actually human, Paul Turner narrowly missed the conversion.

The last move of the match saw Paul Thompson striding towards West’s line with Eddie Saunders in support.  The pass was good, and Eddie wriggled out of several would be tackles in typical Saunders’ fashion to turn and sprint for the line.  However, the referee had spotted some unlawful aiding and abetting by Paul Thompson, and called Eddie back, much to the chagrin of the Shed who were eager to give their yellow cards another airing!!

Final result:

Lions    69            West Hartlepool                      0

Not exactly an impressive performance by Lions, but a good win and a boost to the points difference.  The half-back partnership certainly looks promising, with Mark Edwards in particular impressing with his eye for a break and his scintillating pace.  A potential Shed favourite if ever I saw one.  Jordan Hands can also be very satisfied with a solid performance, although he must be disappointed not to have been given more opportunity to display his running skills.

All in all a good work out for next week’s home game against Wharfedale.  Lions must certainly improve on today’s performance if they are to gain the double over the Yorkshiremen, but we know that the team are certainly capable of raising their game for the occasion.  It should be a cracker!!!

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The Lions First XV has not set foot on the pitch since the 13^th January and is now three games behind the calendar; only Harrogate is on schedule. The downside is that although the Lions leading players have played in some Wanderers line-ups they will be rusty as a unit. The upside is that four injured players will be that much closer to fitness. So on the basis of form so far who would you select as the best game to return to? It has to be West Hartlepool at home. A happy coincidence provides us with just that!

West who have won only 3 out of 69 games since the beginning of 1998/99 have so far failed to win one this season and they have conceded an average of 46 points each time. They lost 8-57 to Rugby at Brinkburn last September but not all their losses have been by large margins. Neither Rosslyn Park nor Bracknell succeeded in piling up points in the northeast. West’s best away performance was at Preston where they lost by just three points at 25-22.

In spite of West’s current form Rugby must not regard this game as a pushover but should approach it as a game to be won and won well by teamwork while at the same time getting themselves back on the pace for the greater challenge posed by Wharfedale on 17^th February. Go to it Lions!