Lions started well with the impressive Toby Handley taking a quick tap penalty and crashing over by the posts with only 4 minutes on the clock, Jon Boden converting. (0 - 7).  Shortly after Mal Roberts kicked Newbury's first points (3 - 7). With the gale behind them Newbury kept the Lions pinned back deep in their own half. Good Lions defence forced the home team to wait until the 25th minute for a try. Newbury took a scrum against the head right on the Lions try line. No 8 Dave Lubens was driven over with Mal Roberts converting (10 - 7). Deep into injury time Roberts kicked another penalty (13 - 7)

Half time

Newbury 13 - Lions 7

The less said about the second half the better. A penalty goal apiece, does not tell the story. Newbury looked the only team likely to score a try, as they held on to possession  working up field, while never allowing the Lions to settle. When the Lions did get possession the strong wind called for long racking kicks to the corner.....this just did not happen.....WHY NOT ?

All in all a very frustrating afternoon.

Final result

Newbury 16 - Lions 10

Andrew's musings

I would hate to think how much money has passed through the Lions in the past 6 years, on players, coaches and management. What has been the result of all this investment.....possibly another relegation, and a club devoid of sprit and good will.

How can this be?

Other clubs have stayed in higher leagues on much less money, teams in this league are much better placed on less money. Every season many players leave. Each year the management promises a top 5 placing, this turns to mid table promise by late autumn. Christmas brings a new high profile coach (or two). By then trying to get away with it on the cheap is found out as nothing more than folly. So bring in the cavalry (at what cost?), a whole host of new players, some better than before, others not. Rugby is a team game, players need time to gel into a team. The Lions are on a perpetual magic roundabout, with a new group of players at the start of each season and yet more mid season. It's been the same season after season, and it just ain't working.

With the directors statement on the 'Sportsmatch' affair' being so openly critical of the RFU, with many players very unhappy, with most supporters now ex-supporters, with relegation looming very large on the horizon, the Club is now in a critical state. On and off the field.

This is a supporters web site, so please give us a club to support and to be proud of.

The last time Rugby were at Monks Lane, in October 2000, it was a dreadful day of heavy rain and blustery winds and Rugby, unlike Newbury, failed to play to the conditions, and paid the price as they lost by three points. Only two players in Rugby’s current squad were on parade that day. Steve Smith and Phil Greenbury will remember that game as one that got away. As that season panned out the gold was yet to come and promotion awaited them at the end of it. This time around the Lions are still looking to avoid relegation and will have to get their act together sooner rather than later. 

So far this season Newbury have won six league games; Rosslyn Park, Nottingham, Harrogate, and Lydney (H); Lydney and Esher (A). Eleven games have been lost to Wharfedale, Stourbridge, Doncaster and Nuneaton (H); Moseley, Sedgley Park, Rugby, Harrogate, Bracknell, Nuneaton and Doncaster (A). 

Results of games in this division are getting more difficult to predict, and continue to confound form, suggesting that any of the teams can beat any other on the day; or is it that there is reluctance by clubs to actually stay too long in the promotion slots.  

Rugby’s team is quite capable of beating Newbury, but will it?  Hopefully their coaches can convince the players that they can and will.

Directions

From M4 take A34 to Newbury

Turn right at fourth roundabout

Keep left at mini-roundabout and the ground is 0.5 miles further on the left