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Lions came to bottom of the
table Henley looking for a bonus point, and they duly got one.
Unfortunately it was not for scoring 4 tries, but for coming second
best to a determined Henley team that simply wanted the win more than
Lions did. If you thought it
couldn’t get any worse than Birmingham and Solihull…….you were
wrong. This was a performance
by Lions that plumbed the depths of ineptitude.
It all started so well.
Lions drove in from the start, and when Henley were penalised, the
three points on offer were spurned in favour of a Richard Davies kick to
the corner. Chris Jones rose
to secure good lineout ball, Tim Collier was on hand to lead the charge,
and Sam Tovo, making a welcome return, claimed the try.
The conversion attempt by Richard Davies was pulled wide, although
he could be forgiven as a loud blast of commentary from the Ireland versus
England game came over the PA just as he started his run up. So much for the announcer saying that he didn’t want anyone
telling him the score during the game as he was taping the match!!
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Sam about to score |
Lions were soon on the attack
again, but tremendous tackling in midfield by Henley prevented any
progress. When Henley were
penalised again, a quick tap by Tom Walsh saw the home side marched back
another 10 metres for not retreating fast enough, and Richard Davies
planted another kick to the corner. Up
went Chris Jones again to take good lineout ball, but this time determined
Henley defence prevented Lions from repeating their scoring drive.
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Henley were tackling like
demons and Lions’ attack looked very ordinary.
The home side showed how it should be done with their first real
attack, as they broke swiftly through the centre and were only denied a
score by desperate cover defence, forcing the player into touch.
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Two on one......yet again |
A long throw to the back of the line saw Sam Tovo charging clear,
only to be stopped by a high tackle.
The penalty allowed Richard Davies to clear to half way.
Henley were now starting to
come more into the game, and when Lions were penalised for going over the
top, Jon Fabian missed a relatively simple 35 metres kick.
Henley were now growing in confidence as they easily stifled
Lions’ feeble attempts to break through a strong defence. Frustration began to show as a series of penalties took
Henley to the Lions’ 22 metres line, where more indiscipline gave Jon
Fabian the simplest of penalty kicks to register Henley’s first points.
The signs were not looking good
for Lions, especially as influential flanker Sam Tovo had to leave the
field injured, to be replaced by Will Pilkington.
Henley showed Lions how
possession should be retained with a series of powerful drives, but this
time it was Lions’ defence that held firm as Henley were penalised for
not releasing. Richard Davies
drove the penalty to the corner to set up another attacking platform for
Lions. The line was duly won,
but Henley were penalised again for pulling the maul down as Lions drove
to the line. A tap to the
corner, another good take, and Lions were attacking again.
Another high tackle halted a promising Lions’ move, but no yellow
card was forthcoming. Richard Davies again tapped the penalty to the corner.
Again Lions took and drove, but massive defence from Henley
succeeded not only in halting progress, but also in getting the put in to
the scrum to allow them to clear their lines.
Sadly that was the last we were
to see of Lions as an attacking force.
Henley drove back upfield, and Lions’ again gave away a penalty
as Tim Collier was yellow carded for offside.
When will he and the rest of the Lions’ forwards learn not to
give penalties away, especially in the shadow of their own posts?
Jon Fabian easily slotted the 3 points.
The Lions’ attack was looking
very one dimensional in the face of fierce Henley tackling.
Yet more penalties allowed Henley to keep up the pressure.
When Lions did manage to win a penalty of their own, a 40 metres
kick by Richard Davies came back off the post for Henley to scramble clear
and go into half time enjoying a slender one point lead.
Half time
Henley
6
Lions
5
Paul Shadbolt and Fa’atoto
Moananu both looked to be carrying injuries in the latter part of the
first half, and were duly replaced at half time by Bennett Smith and Chris
Richards.
Henley started the second half
where they left the first with a series of good attacks supported by
excellent ball retention. Lions
were on the back foot until a timely interception by Chris Richards
allowed him to show a clean pair of heels as he raced 75 metres for a try
that Lions hardly deserved. Richard Davies rubbed salt into the Henley wound with a
superb touchline conversion.
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| The interception |
The try |
Barry Reeves replaced Phil
Osman, the Henley fly half, as Tim Collier was again penalised to allow
Jon Fabian to reduce the deficit with a 35 metres penalty.
Lions were now going downhill
fast as a series of handling errors allowed Henley to keep the pressure
on. In attack Lions looked
slow and cumbersome. Where were the forwards to simply take the ball and drive?
All too often players were left isolated as possession was
squandered. Where was the
sharp incisive running from the backs?
Time after time we failed to even reach the gain line, never mind
cross it.
As Toby Bainbridge-Kay replaced
Tom Walsh at scrum half, Lions conceded yet another penalty when Ben
Lewitt was yellow carded for a professional foul.
Henley now had their tails up and scented their first win of the
season against a dreadful Lions’ side.
Lovely hands by the Henley
backs showed Lions how it should be done as they put wing Pete Davies in
the clear. Only a desperate cover tackle by Phil Reed denied a score.
Back came Henley, as Lions were again penalised in front of their
own posts for Jon Fabian to bring the scores level.
Lions’ afternoon was just
about summed up as a long period of Henley pressure was relieved as they
lost the ball and Chris Richards was able to hack it upfield.
As Henley retreated into their own 22, Chris was there to make the
tackle, but there was not another Lions’ player in site as supporting
Henley players were able to break downfield to win yet another penalty in
front of the Lions’ posts. A
grateful Jon Fabian stroked over his fifth penalty to put Henley in front.
At last Lions started to play
with a bit (but not a lot!!) of urgency.
Unfortunately each time an attacking position was set up, the ball
was lost through careless handling errors or poor support play allowing
Henley to regain possession.
Ian Hyde, who had enjoyed an
excellent game at Rotherham and who could count himself unlucky to start
on the bench, replaced Pete Roberts in the centre, and immediately made an
excellent break to take Lions to within metres of the Henley line.
All that was needed was a period of controlled play, and a score
was there for the taking. Instead
Lions gave away the inevitable penalty, although this time it was for
crossing. Elementary my dear Watson!!
By this time the Lions’
faithful were tearing their hair out as Henley held out for a well
deserved win.
Final result:
Henley
15
Lions
12
What can you say about a
performance like that? Admittedly
Henley were well up for the game and tackled superbly, but when will Lions
learn to stop giving away silly penalties?
When will they learn that you cannot afford to play for a quarter
of a game with a man in the sin bin?
When will they learn that once possession has been gained, the ball
should be cherished and retained at all cost, not kicked blindly away or
surrendered tamely in the tackle? This
was certainly a relegation performance from Lions who must really sort
things out in training if they are to make anything of an impression in
this division.
It is extremely frustrating for
the loyal supporters to pay hard-earned money to watch a team of almost
full time professionals turn in a performance like that.
I do not find it easy to criticise a team that I hold dear to my
heart, but every man who played today should be embarrassed to take their
payment. A donation to the Supporters’ Club would be well in order.
We have followed the team through thick and thin, and will continue
to do so, but we certainly expect more for our money, as, I suspect, does
David Owen.
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