The kick off to this Tetley Cup game was delayed for 15 minutes with the Lions team only arriving at Liverpool at 2.45pm following a horrendous journey up the infamous M6.  However, this only delayed the inevitable as Lions proved too strong all round for a Liverpool team that has not had the best of starts to the season.  However, things seem to be improving for them as they have recently entered into a possible ground-sharing venture with their rugby league counterparts, St. Helens.  This has resulted in Saints providing several players to the beleaguered Union side and also getting involved in training sessions.  Liverpool S.H. now look to have the makings of a team that will provide formidable opposition in their division, as Nuneaton found to their cost when they were comprehensively beaten in the last round of the Tetley Cup.

Unfortunately your intrepid reporter cannot offer a full report on the game, as although kick off was delayed for 15 minutes, a journey which was planned to take 2 hours actually took 4, so by the time we arrived at the ground, we had missed the first half hour.  Our arrival coincided with the Liverpool scrum half burrowing his way over for a try which was duly converted.  Fearing the worst, we sought out the scoreboard, and were reassured to see that this brought the Liverpool score to 10, followed an earlier penalty.  However, by this time Lions had rattled up 22 points in a strong opening period.  Unfortunately, none of the Lions’ supporters that I spoke to could remember who scored what!!  It must be something they put in the beer in Liverpool.

  We had barely time to get our breath before a scrum around the half way mark saw Dave Muckalt pick up and put Gary Beaconsall through a gap in the Liverpool defence.  The move was carried on by winger Rob Porteus and finished off by stand in stand off Chris Withey, who also obliged with the conversion.

Shortly before half time a flowing move by Lions saw the ball first moved to the right, then slick handling by the backs gave Craig Quick, playing in an unfamiliar wing role, the opportunity to cross in the left corner.  The position proved too far out for Withey to add the conversion.

All in all a very satisfying first half for the Lions. 

Half time:

Liverpool S.H.            10            Lions            34

With the game just about won, Lions brought on a string of substitutes, which inevitably disrupted their fluency.  There also appeared to be an element of looking forward to next week’s League game at Newbury, and who can blame them for that?  However, full credit to Liverpool who looked very impressive with the ball in hand.  Lions defence held up well in the face of some determined running by the Liverpool backs, with Chris Withey putting in several telling tackles.  As one Lions’ supporter commented “he made more tackles in one game than Dean Morgan made in two seasons”.  You will never forget Dean, will you Tony?!?!?  

Back to the fray.  Lions soaked up almost constant pressure for the first 20 minutes of the second half, and then, in just about the Lions’ first venture into Liverpool territory, powerful forward play resulted in Tim Collier crashing over for a try:  Withey added the conversion.  Again Liverpool stormed back.  Several kickable penalties were scorned as they went for position, and with Lions rocking, the Liverpool scrum half wriggled over by the posts over for a well deserved try, which was duly converted.

Again Lions simply moved up a gear to show what they are capable of, and after a good position was lost with a crooked throw at the line, a moment of sheer farce ensued.  A Liverpool scrum centre field on their 22 metre line in was wheeled by Lions.  The scrum should have been reset with Lions’ put in.  However, the referee allowed play to continue, and with the Liverpool scrum half and number 8 being unable to tidy up, Lions substitute. Paul Thompson pounced on the loose ball, only to throw it yards forward in the tackle.  Everyone apart from the referee and touch judge saw this, and with the whole Liverpool team waiting for the whistle, Sam Tovo simply picked up the ball and strolled under the posts!  He looked as amazed as everyone else when the referee awarded a try.  Lions supporters had earlier enjoyed some “light hearted” banter with the touch judge about changing his optician for missing several blatant offsides by the Liverpool backs, but now it was the Liverpool supporters’ turn to make several suggestions to him………none of which can be repeated here!  Chris Withey tagged on the conversion to complete a very sound all round performance which earned him the supporters’ “Man of the Match” award.

Final result:

Liverpool S.H.       17            Lions           48

Lions can be well satisfied with this performance following last week’s debacle at Fylde, but they know that they will have to step up a few gears if they are to beat Manchester in the next round of the cup.  What more incentive do they need than the prospect of a mouth watering a trip to Harlequins!

However, before we return to cup action there is the crucial league game next week at Newbury.  If Lions perform as we know they can (look at the superb wins at the end of last season), then a league victory against Newbury can surely be followed by a cup victory against Manchester at Webb Ellis Road.  Then bring on the Quins!!

How they lined up:-

Rugby Lions

15 Matt Coley

14 Rob Proteus

13 Rob Campbell

12 Matt Tassell

11 Craig Quick

10 Chris Withey

9 Gary Becconsal

8 Dave Muckalt

7 Oscar Wingham

6 Sam Tovo

5 Tim Collier

4 Steve Smith

3 Phil Greebury

2 Kevin Dun

1 Paul Shadbolt

Subs

Dan Bailey(9)

Paul Tompson(7)

Rob Field(5)

Tom Woolridge(2)

Tom Woolridge who came on to replace Kevin Dunn in the Lions front row

LSH

15 Mike Jones

14 Dan Jones

13 Chris Walker

12 Sean Casey

11 Chris Stabler

10 Steve Cook

8 Dave Bailey

7 Darren Crilly

6 Dave Gaskell

5 Mike Nugent

4 Richie Bailey

3 Brendan Botha

2 John Grigg

1 Steve O'keefe

Subs

Fraser Harris(4)

Mark Sephton(1)