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Despite
an excellent debut by fly half Jon Boden, Lions turned in another
disappointing performance against London Welsh to emerge from yet another
game without a single point. With
Manchester getting another bonus point today against Coventry
(how?!?!?!?!?!?!), teams above the Lions are starting to open up an ominous
gap.
The
new fly half allowed Jacques Steyn to start his first game in his beloved
inside centre spot. With the
unfortunate James Baker sidelined for 2 months with a broken bone in his
wrist, Sam Cole came in on the wing with evergreen Eddie Saunders
(yes…..THE Eddie Saunders) on the bench.
In the pack, Necky Mee was suffering from the after-effects of flu
and was not fit to build on his excellent work at Bedford last week, so
Richard Moore took his place in the front row.
Welsh
set off strongly with their forwards mauling Lions back 20 metres.
Number 8 Matt Fitzgerald broke dangerously from the edge of the maul,
but poor handling by Welsh spoilt a promising situation.
However, Lions were penalised for handling in the ruck, and Welsh
spurned points on the board and opted for a kick to the corner.
The line-out take was good, but as Lions held the initial forward
drive, the ball was spun wide. More
poor handling as Welsh tried to bring wing Rory Greenslade-Jones into the
move produced a knock on.
Jon
Boden cleared well with his first touch in open play. He was prominent again with a lovely crossfield kick that
almost had the speedy Phil Reed in space, but for a bad bounce.
Now it was Lions turn to be penalised as they encroached offside in
their eagerness to close Welsh down. Welsh
fly half Paul Farmer judged the stiff breeze to perfection as his kick took
Lions back 50 metres.
Welsh
pressed from the line-out, but Lions tackling was rock solid.
However, when the ball was moved wide, the impressive Adam Bidwell,
who was a thorn in Lions’ side all afternoon, glided through the gap, but
was eventually hauled down just yards short of the line.
Desperate Lions’ defending resulted in 2 penalties being tapped to
the corner, but on both occasions, Lions defence was equal to the task from
the resultant line-outs. From
yet another penalty, Welsh opted for the scrum and the big push.
When this was held, the ball was moved wide at pace, and wing John
Swords stepped inside his man to cross for the first try.
Paul Farmer added a good conversion from wide out.
( 0 - 7 ).
Welsh
knocked on from a good Jon Boden restart, but the Lions’ scrum was
mercilessly exposed as the Welsh 8 wheeled them with ease.
Welsh cleared from their own put in, but Lions construed to mess up
the line-out and Welsh gained more valuable ground. Another Lions line-out, and again Welsh took possession.
Worse
was to come. Incessant Welsh
pressure almost had centre Adam Bidwell through again, but Ben Wheeler, who
improves with every game, pulled of an excellent tackle. But the respite was brief.
The ball was moved crossfield and only desperate defending prevented
another score. However, referee
Wayne Barnes took exception to Lions killing the ball and promptly
despatched Rob Hurrell to the sin-bin.
Welsh
lost no time in making their numeric superiority count as they opted for the
scrum from the penalty, and easily pushed Lions back for number 8 Matt
Fitzgerald to touch down. Paul
Farmer’s conversion from close to touch drifted wide.
( 0 – 12 ).
Welsh
full back Dylan Pugh was injured in the build up to the Lions’ try and was
replaced by Richard Mahoney
A
quick look at the clock showed 17 minutes played, during which time Lions
had lost 2 line-outs on their own throw and lost the put in at a scrum when
it was wheeled. Needless to say
they had not seen any real possession during this period.
At
last Lions took a line-out and Stuart Potter drove up the middle.
Quick ball saw Matt Vines join the line to create space for Sam Cole,
but the wing was held just short. Now
it was Welsh’s turn for desperate defending.
A penalty saw Lions tap the ball to the corner.
Guy Manson-Bishop rose to take the catch, but seemed to have his feet
taken from under him. However,
this prompted Lions to move the ball infield where Jon Boden looped around
Jacques Steyn to put Matt Vines in for a simple try.
Jon added a good conversion for his first points in a Lions’ shirt. ( 7 – 12 ).
Sam
Cole received a cut in the build up to the try and Eddie Saunders took the
field as blood replacement to a huge cheer.
Rob Hurrell also returned to the fray from the bin.
Lions
joy was short-lived, as Welsh gained possession from the kick off and wing
John Swords spotted that Matt Vines was still limping back along the
touchline after scoring his try, and kicked into acres of space. A try looked on, but a bad bounce took the ball away from the
winger. However, Welsh retained
possession, and as the ball was swung crossfield, Adam Bidwell took
advantage of an overlap to stroll over by the posts.
Paul Farmer added the simple conversion. ( 7 – 19 ).
Lions
were now seeing more possession, but a turnover stopped the momentum.
Welsh looked to knock on in the move, but they were awarded the scrum
put in, presumably for a previous offence by Lions.
As Welsh looked to clear, Jon Boden was up quickly to charge down the
kick, control the ball and cross for the try.
He then added the conversion to again put Lions back in contention.
( 14 – 19 ).
Lions
were now looking hungry for another score.
Phil Reed probed down the left, before the ball was swung crossfield
for Eddie Saunders to jink his way towards the line. The forwards did well with a series of pick ups and drives,
but a penalty was conceded in the shadow of the Welsh posts when a try
looked imminent. Jacques Steyn
took a knock in the previous passage of play, but resumed, albeit with a
pronounced limp.
The
play was now end to end with chances falling to both sides, but none were
converted into tries. Sam Cole
resumed as Eddie returned to the sanctuary of the bench for a breather.
Lions
were now entering their vulnerable period just before half time when they
always seem to concede points…….and today was no exception!!
It was that man Adam Bidwell again who did the damage, carving
through the Lions defence to give wing John Swords the opportunity to drive
over in the corner. Paul
Farmer’s touchline conversion flew wide as the referee’s whistle went
for half time.
Half
time
Lions
14
London Welsh 24
Alex
Taylor started the second half in place of the unlucky Jacques Steyn.
It
was Lions who needed the early score, but it was Welsh who were first to
attack. A pass that looked
suspiciously forward and then a knock on was missed by referee Wayne Barnes,
before he eventually spotted another knock on to relieve the pressure on
Lions.
Lions
looked to have weathered the storm, but they hadn’t counted on lady luck.
Sam Cole looked to have a Welsh grubber kick covered, but somehow
managed to miss the ball. This
was hacked on by a Welsh player, and the ball bounced off Matt Vines’ legs
back into the grateful arms of Richard Mahoney for him to dash over for the
try. Paul Farmer added the
conversion to leave Lions with an uphill struggle to recover.
At
last Lions looked to be building up a head of steam, but as the ball was
moved wide, Guy Manson-Bishop popped up in the centre and tried a delicate
chip through. This is not an
easy manoeuvre for a 19.5 stones 6’7” lock……and Guy didn’t
disappoint. Richard Mahoney
took the ball with ease, but his clearance did not find touch and Sam Cole
retrieved to run the ball back at Welsh.
Unfortunately, his boot laces must have been undone as Sam suddenly
tripped and performed the perfect double somersault with pike…..but
retained possession!!
Sam
Tovo looked in some discomfort as he left the field to be replaced by
Tristan Prosser-Shaw. Lions now
looked to bring on other fresh legs with Ben Smith replacing Ben Wheeler who
had worked tirelessly throughout the game.
Alex Taylor now caught the eye with a couple of storming runs that
Lions failed to capitalise on. Back
came Welsh, and hooker Chris Ritchie almost found a way through before Lions
were penalised for offside in front of their own posts.
John Farmer accepted the easy 3 points.
( 14 – 34 ).
Again
Alex Taylor impressed with his powerful running, but again Lions were unable
to capitalise.
Wholesale
changes followed on both sides, with Gregg Botterman, Sean Phillips, Paul
Mansfield, and Richard Catt replacing Chris Ritchie, Christian Cano, Richard
Griffith, and Rory Greenslade-Jones for Welsh.
Lions brought on Glen Carson for Richard Moore, and Eddie Saunders
took over from the injured James Black.
Jon
Boden almost broke through with a lovely chip over the defence, but he was
unable to regather cleanly. Lions
were penalised, and again Paul Farmer drilled the ball to the corner.
The line was duly won, but the ball was slow in coming back and as
Tom Lewsey fired out his pass, Tristan Prosser-Shaw was off his blocks from
the back of the line-out like Linford Christie (apart from one obvious
attribute). He plucked the ball
from the air and set out for the try line 90 metres away.
The cover was coming across but Tristan put his head back and kept
going. Past half
way……b*****s, where’s the support he must have been thinking……but
none was on hand. Now upto the
22 and the legs are definitely slowing, but the cover is making no
impression. TPS is now looking
desperate, but stopping for a breather is a definate no-no.
With one final gasp, he collapsed dived over triumphantly in
the corner. Fancy not going
behind the posts!! A superb
effort from the wing forward who never gives less than 110%.
Jon Boden’s touchline conversion drifted just wide.
( 19 – 34 ).
Welsh
now replaced Chad Eagle with ex-Lion Tim Collier who took the field to cries
of “off…..off” from the Shed!!
Lions
were playing catch-up, but the all important 4th try was now the
goal. Good driving play and
support had Welsh going backwards, and 3 penalties were awarded against them
in quick succession. The last
saw the ball tapped to the corner. The
take was good at the line, but Welsh were up quickly (too quickly by my
reckoning), and Alex Taylor took man and ball to concede the scrum put in. Lions told Mr. Barnes of the error of his ways, but were
promptly penalised for talking out of turn.
Next
came the inevitable dust up between Guy Manson-Bishop and Tim Collier as
Lions were awarded yet another penalty.
Lions again kicked to the corner as Welsh replaced lock Andy Johnson
with David Ramsey. Unfortunately
the long throw in an attacking position ploy failed once again (will we
never learn!!) and Lions were penalised in trying to tidy up.
Another chance gone begging.
Instead
it was Welsh who got the final score. Lions
were penalised again for speaking out of turn, and from the resultant
line-out, scrum half Tom Lewsey shot down the blind-side to score a simple
try. Paul Farmer’s conversion
failed as the referee blew for full time.
Final
result:
Lions
19
London Welsh 39
Were
there any positives today? The
performance of Jon Boden augurs well for the future as he settles into the
side. Alex Taylor and Tristan
Prosser-Shaw both put in impressive performances in the second half.
So
what’s going wrong for Lions?? Prepare
for musings!! Again that vital
spark simply wasn’t there, and too many players just do not look match fit
or do not look to have the passion to play for the Lions. As I have said many times before on this site, we desperately
need a coach who can mould, manage, and motivate the obviously talented
individuals that we have. Perhaps
then we will see the team that we know is in there somewhere.
I
know that finances are tight, but at the moment we are simply not getting
value from the money that we are spending.
If we do not get a coach in…..and quickly…..the money currently
being spent will be totally wasted.
Next
week sees us travel to Moseley. This
is a distinctly winnable game, although it must not be taken lightly.
Moseley will be well up for the game, and Lions must counter this
with an equal passion. Every
player who pulls on the Lions’ shirt next week must be ready to go out and
give 110% for the Club. Certainly
the supporters will be right behind them to give all the encouragement we
can……but it’s down to you, boys.
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