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Lions  29 - Nottingham  17

Lions gained sweet revenge for a last minute defeat at Nottingham earlier in the season, but it was by no means a convincing performance in a scrappy, sometimes ill tempered, affair.  Lions could, and should, have won by a far more convincing margin, but poor handling and wrong options meant that numerous try-scoring chances went begging.

Lions had several changes in the pack, with Phil Greenbury, Tim Collier, and Steve Smith all carrying knocks, but the impact looked minimal as Nottingham were unceremoniously shunted backwards at the first scrum.  They managed to retain possession, and a high kick, the first of many, was spilled by Jacques Steyn at full back for Lions.  When Sam Tovo was then penalised for coming into a maul from the wrong side, Nottingham had the first opportunity to put points on the board.  However, Russell Southam’s attempt from 35 metres head on to the posts drifted wide.

Lions were soon in Nottingham territory, as Matt Tassell retrieved a Nottingham kick and set up the forwards who drove into the Nottingham 22.  When the drive was stopped illegally, Jacques Steyn’s relatively easy penalty attempt was carried wide by the swirling breeze.

Lions were finding it difficult to establish any sort of rhythm, and when Simon Amor failed to find touch from a penalty, Nottingham were able to clear with a long raking kick.  However, this too did not find touch, and Jacques Steyn set off on a jinking run up the touchline that took him past several players, but a knock on as the ball was worked inside brought a halt to a promising move.

Again Lions disrupted Nottingham’s scrum, and some hard tackling saw Nottingham going backwards.  Ben Murphy brought this to a halt with a timely incursion into the line from full back, and his pace took him clear of several despairing Lions’ tackles.  As the cover came across, he put in an astute kick to the corner, but fortunately for Lions this stopped a metre from the line, and winger Jamie Morley knocked on as he tried to sweep the ball up and dive over.  Nottingham were penalised at the scrum, allowing Lions to clear their lines and breathe a sigh of relief.

Now it was Lions turn to show their paces, and good work by the forwards released the backs, but with a clear overlap, a Nottingham player pulled off a fingertip interception to avert the danger.  Although Lions pack was totally dominant in the scrums and the loose play, the line out was not functioning at its best, and several throws were lost.  There was no real fluency about Lions’ game, although it seemed that they merely needed to step up a gear to gain a score.

The score seemed to settle Lions, and Simon Amor quickly exploited acres of room to dash 50 metres, but the pass to the supporting Eddie Saunders was spilled, and another try scoring opportunity was missed.

 Two penalties took Nottingham into Lions’ 22, and a take and drive set up a promising position, but again the Nottingham backs were penalised for crossing.  As Lions tried to take a quick tap, the referee called them back to deliver an unnecessary lecture to the Nottingham backs.  The referee seemed intent on not letting the game flow, as this was only one of a number of occasions that he brought both teams back to the mark as they tried to take quick tap penalties.

A lovely back row move started by Paul Thompson and carried on by Dave Muckalt put Lions on the attack, and as quick ball was won, Matt Tassell put Eddie Saunders in the clear with a long pass, but unfortunately the referee deemed this to be forward.  Lions were again able to disrupt Nottingham’s scrum, and when Lions were awarded a scrum 10 metres out, at last a scoring opportunity was taken.  A Dave Muckalt pick up from number 8 gave scrum half Mark Edwards room on the short side to use Jordan Hands as a foil and slice through for the try.  Simon Amor’s kick was straight and true, but unfortunately it was held up by the wind and fell just short.

Nottingham’s response was not long in coming, but it was a try that should have been prevented.  Jacques Steyn had not looked comfortable all afternoon under the high ball, and when Nottingham’s Russell Southam launched another bomb, Jacques lost the flight of the ball and fatally let it bounce.  Richie Robinson was up quickly to seize the opportunity and cross wide out for a simple try.  Russell Southam added an inch perfect conversion from wide out to bring Nottingham right back into the game.

Nottingham could have drawn level, when Jacques Steyn again failed to take a high kick cleanly, but when Lions were penalised, Russell Southam pushed his kick wide.

As half time approached, Lions upped the tempo once more, and when Tom Chubb, the Nottingham lock, was sin-binned for disrupting a line-out, Lions repeated their first try……kick by Jacques Steyn to the corner, take by Rob Field at the resultant line, an unstoppable drive by the forwards, and this time it was Dave Muckalt who claimed the try.  Simon Amor’s conversion was again off target to audible groans from the Shed.

A failed drop goal attempt by Russell Southam drew cries of “keep the ball in hand” from old Lions’ favourite Richard Pell who has recently joined the Nottingham coaching staff.  This was a sentiment that also applied to Lions.  Again, as in recent weeks, hard-earned ball by the forwards was kicked aimlessly away, inevitably finding an opposition player with unerring accuracy.  However, on this occasion Mark Edward’s high kick was misjudged by Ben Murphy, and Lions claimed possession to swing the ball wide.  Ian Hyde made good ground, but the inside pass to Paul Shadbolt, who was steaming up at a great rate of knots, was again knocked on.

The half time whistle blew on a performance from Lions littered with knock ons and wrong options.  An eminently forgettable first half that had seen Lions scorn several good scoring chances and present Nottingham with theirs.  The referee’s whistle was also in evidence throughout as he seemed intent on not letting the game flow, although he did have to contend with some ill tempered outbreaks of “handbags at 10 paces”.

Nottingham started the second half with the tactic that had served them well in the first half……the good old Gary Owen.  Again Jacques Steyn looked unsteady, but he took the first high kick at the second attempt.  He seemed as surprised as the rest of us, and what seemed a half hearted kick to touch allowed Nottingham’s full back to clear his line.  As in the first half, Lion’s lineout was not functioning as well as it should, and another throw in was lost.  It looked as though the Shed was in for another frustrating session.

Nottingham were now within a point of Lions, and it was time for “super sub” to put in an appearance to steady the ship.  On came Paul Turner to replace Jordan Hands, with Simon Amor moving to full back, Jacques Steyn taking up his favoured centre position, and Ian Hyde taking the wing berth.  Paul Turner made an immediate impression with a long raking kick along the touchline, but again Lions  surrendered a strong attacking position with yet another knock on.

Paul Turner’s mere presence seemed to galvanise Lions, and good hands (for once) saw Eddie Saunders make ground with a typical dancing run.  As the forwards tore in, Nottingham were penalised, and a quick tap penalty from that man Turner saw Jacques Steyn crash over, only to be brought back for a forward pass.  However, Nottingham conceded a free kick for feeding at the resultant scrum, and again Paul Turner reacted quickly with a delicate chip to the corner.  Eddie Saunders was blatantly impeded by his opposite number, ex Lion Brendan Clark, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try.  Paul Turner added the conversion from under the posts to the loudest cheer of the afternoon from the Shed.

Nottingham almost broke away with the impressive Ben Murphy, but he was stopped by a superb tackle by the ever alert Dave Muckalt.  Paul Thompson was strangely adjudged offside as he tidied up the loose ball, allowing Nottingham to drive into Lions’ 22.  As Lions were again penalised, Russell Southam slotted over his kick to keep Nottingham in touch.

Nottingham bravely tried to move the ball around, but were frustrated by some hard hitting Lions tackling, superbly led by Sam Tovo who knocked players back time after time.

After play was held up for some time, the injured Paul Shadbolt was replaced by Tom Woolrich, but Lions scrum remained as solid as a rock.  The remainder of the half was a fairly nondescript affair, dominated by the sending of off Nottingham’s Richard Lloyd.  He had been involved in several unsavoury incidents during the game, and when a brawl erupted close to full time, he was singled out by the referee and given his marching orders.  Lions were unable to take full advantage of their numerical superiority, and the referee’s whistle brought the game to a timely end.

A disappointing result for Lions in that they could have scored a hatful of points if they had taken all their scoring opportunities.  To rub salt in the wound, they gifted Nottingham 14 points through errors.  I suppose that we should be grateful that although not playing well, the team stuck to their task and gave us the victory that we need to stay in touch at the top of the table.

 Next week sees the difficult trip to Lydney who are desperate for points to avoid relegation so will be no easy opponents.  Hopefully a few forwards will be fit again, which will make selection interesting.  The man we are really missing is Matt Coley at full back, whose return will allow Jacques Steyn to display his skills from the centre position.  His talents are certainly wasted at full back. 

Whatever the team, the skill and ability is most definitely there, but the application just somehow isn’t.  At least this year we are winning whilst not playing well, and one day the team will “click” and someone will be in for a pasting.  Let’s hope that day is soon, and it is then repeated to the end of the season.

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Angus Innes

Rugby managed to bring home the necessary single point from Priory Lane at the end of February but left the bonus point behind. Next Saturday’s opponents, Nottingham have been playing the Lions since “Adam was a lad” and form on both sides has cycled up and down as the years have passed. In the 1970’s the Rugby Advertiser would refer to them as Rugby’s “bogey team” with games lost at Beeston even when the side was doing well elsewhere. In a way that applies to this season as Lions seemingly superior side has already slipped up in the away game. 

Nottingham’s last two games were both at home against tough opposition. While Lions were at Park Kendal beat them by a single point. Last Saturday they played a rescheduled game against Bracknell’s seemingly unstoppable machine and lost 7-22. These two results suggest that Nottingham will be no pushover and they are likely to be a noticeably stronger force than they were in the first encounter. But that should also apply to the Lions. 

Promotion now depends on Lions winning every one of their remaining games.