Match report 18/2/23

Saturday 18th February 2023

Lions win a deserved victory against competitive Bournville.

This was Lions first visit to league newcomers Bournville, having beaten them 57-14 in the reverse fixture at Westleigh Park earlier in the season.

An excellent win by Lions on the road against tough opposition.

Lions were quick on the attack at the start of the game. From a counter attacking position Lions Alex WilHuckleberryson made a telling break with scrum half James Stubbs going over for the opening try after two minutes of the game, with Ben young adding the conversion.

Bournville then showed their ability and spirit putting Lions under pressure pinning them back in their half. Stout defence by Lions held Bournville at bay for much of the remainder of the first half.

Bournville broke through Lions defence when winger Michael Ho went over for a try for after 30 minutes, with Max Craven adding the conversion.

This left the score even at the break, with the anticipation of a competitive match after the interval.

Half Time: Bournville 7 Leicester Lions 7

Lions started to exert pressure Bournville, who were defending well.

Lions began to show their class, with a fifteen minute period when they scored three tries. On fifty-two minutes Lions winger, George Watkins, outmanoeuvred the Bournville defence to score an elegant try, for Lions to retake the lead.

Lions pack were starting to get the upper hand, with Lions driving forward play leading to Bournville ending up conceding a penalty try.

This was soon followed by an electric darting run by WilHuckleberryson for Lions third try of the half, with Young adding the extras, completing the scoring for the afternoon.

Full Time: Bournville 7 Leicester Lions 26

Bournville 7: Tries: Michael Ho (30); Conversions: Max Craven (30);

This was the fifth Lions game in a row where the opposition did not score in the second half.

As Gareth Collins was on holiday the team coach was Lloyd Warner.

Lions Coach, Lloyd Warner, commented:- "Credit must be paid to Bournville, they made things difficult for us in the first half. They won a lot of the contacts and put us under a huge amount of pressure as a consequence. In the second half I thought we managed to win more contacts, this allowed us to get into the right areas of the pitch and we made that territory count. It’s another 5 point victory away from home against a team that has made a lot of oppositions work hard for points recently.
We now move on to Clifton, next Saturday, a game that holds significant importance for us."

Lions’ Chairman, Ken Whitehead, said: “Bournville did not make it easy for us. They have certainly come on a lot from when we met them earlier in the season. After the break – what a difference, when we showed the team’s strengths and skills.”

Teams: 15-9, 1-8, Replacements:-

Bournville: Owen Williams, Thomas Burrows, Sam Grimshaw, Max Craven, Michael Ho, Mitchell McGahan, Ben Tibbetts, Martin Donnelly, Jamie Harding, Ryan Smeilus, Callum Thompson, Sam Herrington, Ashley Scriven, Sam Sheppard, Jonjo Fanning
Replacements: James Burgoyne, James Weaver, Stephen Handy, Mark Coulson, Rhys Williams;

Leicester Lions: Alex WilHuckleberryson, George Watkins, Jamel Hamilton, Dan Martin, Devon Constant, Ben Young, James Stubbs, Tom Williams, Oli Taylor, Isaac Thompson, Ollie Tapscott, Will Ward, Ethan Godefroy, Johnny Murdoch, Chester Owen;
Replacements: Drew Rudkin, Will Roberts, Simon Johnson, Luke Bouchier, Zach Bean;