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Rugby Lions recorded their
fourth consecutive league victory of the season at Beverley, although
they made heavy weather of it, having lead 14-0 at half time into the
wind.
Lions started brightly with a
strong run down the left from Tom Harris, He slipped the ball inside to
Ade Hales but he was pulled down just short of the line. Karl Braband,
playing his first game of the season after injury, picked up from the
ruck but was also held just short. Beverley were penalised at the next
ruck to give a simple kick in front of the posts. Toby Handley must have
been feeling confident as he took a quick tap and charged for the line.
He was held up, although the defenders had not retreated 10 metres.
Again Toby spurned the three points on offer, and opted for a scrum. The
ball was spun left, but a knock-on meant the chance and possession was
lost. A long clearance from the home side utilising the strong wind then
lead to a spell of pressure on Rugby’s defence, but slow decision making
and poor handling meant that no chances were created.
Matt Goode made a break from
halfway and fed Alex Nash who streaked into the home 22, but the
supporting Toby Handley was tripped off the ball, which seemed to go
unseen by all the officials. After a series of drives by Lion’s
forwards, Toby whipped the ball out to San Viggers who quickly fed Ade
Hales who had popped up at centre. With Ade’s confidence seemingly back
to normal, it was a simple task for him to ghost through and touch down.
James Hawken judged the kick well to make the score 0-7. Lion’s were in
control at this stage and scored a lovely second try from a scrum deep
in their own half. Matt Goode threw a long pass to Hawken, who skated
round his would be tackler before drawing the last defender and slipping
the ball to Hales who touched down under the posts. Hawken converted for
a comfortable looking lead.
Half Time: - Beverley 0 Rugby
Lions 14
With the wind behind them
Rugby’s supporters were looking forward to a dominant performance from
the team in the second half, but strangely Lion’s passing and handling
skills seemed to fall apart which gave the home side the confidence to
come back. In the first couple of minutes of the half Beverley’s centre
Gardiner was allowed to stroll through some weak tackles to score.
Although the conversion was missed, the home side were back in the
match. Following a grubber kick from Turner, which found touch ten
metres from the try-line, Beverley attempted a quick throw-in, which
almost backfired when Matt Goode knocked the ball up for Hales to gather
and touch down. The referee however ruled that the ball had gone
forward.
A rare loss of Lion’s line-out
led to severe pressure on the visitor’s try line, and although they held
Beverley out, the home side were rewarded with a penalty for offside to
reduce the deficit to 8-14.
Lion’s supporter’s nerves were
eased greatly when Alex Nash touched down following a superb break from
Shaun Brady. Hawken again converted for an 8-21 score line. The relief
was short-lived however as Beverley hit straight back with a second try
for Gardiner under the posts
With the light fading and the
drizzle falling, Beverley threw everything at Rugby in the dying
minutes, but strong defence forced the home side to try and run from
their own half, and the final whistle brought relief to Lion’s
supporters and players. Rugby entertain unbeaten league leaders Tynedale
next Saturday in what promises to be a thriller, and they will need to
reduce the error count if they are going to come out on top.
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