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They say it’s not over ‘till the fat lady sings. Well, she was singing
like a bird at half time as Harrogate wrapped this match up with 6 first
half tries, including 4 from lineout drives that Lions simply had no
answer to. To highlight what might have been, the second half was
scoreless, although it could be said that Gate had done enough to win the
match by half time and could afford to ease off after the break.
The
writing was on the wall as early as the second minute. Gareth Collins
covered a Gate chip through, and Pig Brittin hacked the ball to touch as
it squirmed from Gareth’s grasp, but was adjudged to have done so from an
offside position. Lee Cholewa tapped the penalty to the corner. The line
out was won with ease, and the Gate pack drove Paul Clark over from 10
metres as though the Lions’ 8 weren’t there. Lee Cholewa’s conversion
attempt drifted wide. ( 0 – 5 )
Gate’s forward power was in evidence again from the kick off as they drove
a rolling maul 30 metres……the only crumb of comfort for the Shed faithful
was that when the pack eventually released the ball, the Gate backs
immediately knocked on.
Sam
Stoop looked dangerous with a touchline run down the left, but his inside
pass did not go to hand and Gate were soon back in Lions’ territory.
Another penalty allowed Lee Cholewa to put the ball to the corner, and
another textbook take and drive saw Steve Hobson driven over in the same
spot as the first try. This time Lee Cholewa made no mistake with his
conversion. ( 0 – 12 ).
Lions were seeing very little possession, and after 10 minutes the Gate
pack were once again driving towards the Lions’ line. This time Lions
were penalised for taking the maul down, but respite was short lived as
Lee Cholewa again put the ball to the corner. This was now getting to be
like Groundhog Day, as there was the inevitable take, the inevitable
drive, and the inevitable score, this time by Mark Erven. Lee Cholewa’s
third conversion attempt from exactly the same place as the first two was
wide. ( 0 – 19 )
Now
it was Lions’ turn to win a penalty as Gate strayed offside, and Jon Boden
put his kick deep into Gate territory. Unfortunately, Lions’ tale of woe
continued as Gate took what was Lions’ first lineout put in, and cleared
up field with ease. Worse was to come, as a poor clearance kick allowed
Gate’s Matt Duncombe to slice through Lions’ non-existent tackling to put
Lee Cholewa under the posts for a simple score. Cholewa also added the
simple conversion. ( 0 – 24 )
Lions were being starved of possession, and when they did get scraps, Gate
were happy to concede penalties in the knowledge that they had total
dominance at the line out and could secure possession at will.
It
was one of those days for Lions as they tried to get some semblance of
order to their play, but everything they tried simply went wrong. Planned
moves saw the ball being spilled, chips ahead seemed to be attracted to
Gate hands. The situation was typified by a Sam Stoop penalty being
planted behind the goal line, resulting in a Gate 22 metres drop out. If
Lions had a game plan at the start of the match, this had certainly gone
out of the window by now.
More inept play by Lions’ saw another penalty tapped to the corner by
Cholewa……and you can guess the rest. At least this score, by Mark Erven
again, was on the opposite side to the first 3 tries, so the boredom
factor was reduced. Lee Cholewa added an excellent conversion from wide
out. ( 0 – 31 )
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Lions' frustration was plain to see as Gate conceded
penalty after penalty each time Lions managed to get any decent
possession, and referee Richard Parker-Sedgemore chose to keep his
yellow card firmly in his pocket. Fed up with the situation, Jon
Boden decided to go for goal with one of the penalties, and his 35
metres kick was straight and true to register Lions’ first points as
half time approached. ( 3 – 31 )
But Gate, and Mr Kraper-Greedsome, were not finished
yet, as the referee handed Gate a penalty try as they followed up a
kick through that Lions had covered. Lee Cholewa’s simple conversion
followed. ( 3 – 38 )
There was still time for Lions to regain some pride as
Sam Stoop was prominent in two attacks as Lions enjoyed some rare
quality possession to show just what might have been. Then came the
inevitable penalty, but with half time looming, the kick was planted
in the corner. This time Ben Smith rose to take the catch, and as
Lions drove in, Danny Facer peeled off the maul to crash his way
over. Jon Boden’s conversion attempt was pushed wide as the charging
Gate players almost reached him. ( 8 – 38 )
Half time
Lions 8 Harrogate 38
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Danny Facer still
with plenty to do |
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..but there was
no stopping him |
Despite using all 4 substitutes, with Matt Davies, Doun Du Preez, Phil
Greenbury and Lloyd Warner replacing Pig Brittin, Danny Facer, Simon
Black, and Alex Taylor, Lions were unable to add to their score in the
second half. The good news is that they also prevented Gate from adding
to their score.
Lions showed much more purpose and organisation in the second half, and
there were glimpses of the rugby that they are capable of playing when
they can secure decent possession. Sam Stoop had a couple of counter
attacks from Gate kicks, and a score should really have come from one of
these, but Sam chose to pass inside to the supporting Spencer Brown when
he could probably have made the corner. Unfortunately the pass did not go
to hand.
Then Spencer Brown superbly fielded a high kick under pressure right on
the touchline, spinning away from would be tacklers to scythe through the
centre of the Park defence and almost put Gareth Collins in at the corner,
but the Park cover just prevented the score.
Again Gate reverted to penalties to try to stop Lions, and at last the
referee saw fit to issue a yellow card to Gate lock Paul Clark. However,
Lions could not capitalise on their numeric superiority, although a
brilliant Pete Roberts break from inside his own 22, followed by excellent
interplay between forwards and backs deserved a score……but again the Gate
defence held firm, albeit with the help of some rather high tackles that
Mr Parker-Domegrees deemed to be perfectly legal.
But
hey, let’s not make this sound like sour grapes. Lions were well and
truly beaten by a better side……whether they were 30 points better is
another debate, but just look at the score.
Final result:
Lions 8 Harrogate 38
Don's musing
I
said last week that we were on a roll, and Judgie said that he would
prefer to call it a baguette as it was bigger. Oh dear, Lions were living
on crumbs today, and simply had no answer to the power of the Gate pack.
After suffering a similar fate at Bracknell, I criticising players for
standing off the maul, Mal Malik responded by saying that it is a matter
of technique rather than numbers. Unfortunately we do not seem to have
mastered the technique yet…….something that the forwards’ coaches need to
work on as a matter of urgency.
Lineout possession was another worry today, but with Chris Jones and Steve
Smith both injured, at least there is some light at the end of the tunnel
when both of these are fit to return. That will pose some interesting
selection issues, with Phil Skillen and Ben Smith working well at flanker,
and Eddie Simkiss proving to be a revelation at number 8. The joys of
being a selector.
Despite all this, I am still confident that Lions have the team and the
spirit to more than survive in this League.
Talking about selection, what about next week when there is “relief” from
League action and we can enjoy ourselves in the cup against Exeter!?!?!
With the important league game against Nuneaton looming the following
week, it must be tempting to do a Sedgely Park and field a weakened side.
However, getting the team to play as a unit is another driver, and the
more match practice they can get together, the better. Interesting
times!! |
