A valiant effort by the Lions in the 2nd Round of the Kent Cup.

The Lions, still struggling through the absence of a number of key players, due to injury, never the less put up a spirited performance against their more senior opponents.
The home side dominated both possession and territory in the first half but surprisingly were second best at the scrums, despite having a big height and weight advantage over the Lions. The Lions were rarely able to escape their own half in the first period but through good determined defence managed to keep a clean sheet until the 27th minute when Westcombe Park, finding themselves with men over on half way, fed the right wing who scored to the right of the posts. Converted by their inside centre.7-0 to Westcombe Park.
Westcombe Park quickly increased their lead with a try by their inside centre converted by the same player.14-0.
The start of the second half saw the visitors exert pressure on the home try line for the first time in the game and were rewarded with a try by left wing McCarthy who scored in the corner. 14-5 to Westcombe Park
The home side increased their lead to 17-5 in the 50th minute with a penalty.
The Lions following this score put pressure on the home line with the pack being thwarted on two occasions within inches of the Westcombe Parks try line. One aspect of play the Lions found difficulty in countering was the superior speed of the home side’s backs. This was clearly illustrated by the manner of their next score when, winning ball just outside their own 22, they quickly moved the ball right for their wing to out speed the cover defence in a 55 metre run to the line. Their inside centre adding the extra points with the conversion. 24-5 to Westcombe Park.
The Lions, although now facing an uphill task, never wavered in their determination and came straight back at their opponents. After forcing the home side to concede a penalty ten metres out from their line, they opted for a scrum. The Lions drove them back with the referee awarding a further three penalties when a more appropriate decision would have been a penalty try for committing four consecutive offences in the red zone. Eventually after winning scrum ball ten metres out from the line, Lions No 8 Joseph Hinkins picked up and using his undoubted strength drove through two defenders to score 15 metres to the right of the posts. Ollie Best converting. 24-12 to Westcombe Park.
Westcombe Park kicked another penalty to make the final score 27-12 to the home side who deserved victory in a hard fought game. The Lions meanwhile should have no reason to be downhearted about this defeat, a game in which they competed for the full 80 minutes.
One player in the Lion’s ranks worthy of special praise in this game was veteran Dave Rose who having played in the 2nd’s the previous day stepped up to fill a vacancy in the second row and was never found wanting throughout the whole 80 minutes.

Team

S. Adcock, J.Guy, A. Hart, A. Michael, C. McCarthy, O. Best, J. Erskine, J. Hayes,
M. Curd, S. Hanley, D. Rose, D. Atkinson, W. Bull L. Docherty and J. Hinkins.

Subs
L. Ambrose ( player coach) , A. Chid

This Saturday the Lions are at home to Tunbridge Wells, the 2nds are away to Medway, The 3rds are at home to Tunbridge Wells. All Kick off’s 2.30 PM