The Lions End 2011 with a Loss

The Lions, who are second from bottom of the league, faced opponents who are currently second from top but to witness the first half hour of play any uninformed spectator could be forgiven for thinking the positions were reversed. The Lions camped in the visitor’s half coming close to cross the visitors line on a number of occasions through some driving mauls from the pack. The only reward the Lions had to show for this early pressure was an Ollie Best penalty on the 20 minute mark. The visitors possessed a good and well organised defence line and showed good attacking potential on the few occasions they were allowed space in the first half hour.
The last ten minutes of the half saw the complexion of the game change completely with the visitors showing ruthless ability to expose any shortcomings in the Lions defence, running in two tries. The first by their left wing, who ran outside his opposite number to score wide out. Minutes later a move down the right flank saw the inside centre scythe through the middle to score under the posts. The fly half converting both leaving a stunned Lions side eleven points adrift after being in command for most of the half.14-3 to Aylesford Bulls
The second half was very evenly contested with tempers coming to the boil on a few occasions. In a high tempo half there were a number of outstanding performances on both sides specifically those by Alistair Chamberlain, Joseph Hinkins and Andy Agar for the Lions and the centre pairing and Fly Half for Aylesford Bulls.
The only try of the half was scored by the Lions, when winning ball just outside the visitors 22 in midfield, fly half Ollie Best found flanker Andy Agar wide on the right with a long pass for him to squeeze in the corner. This score put the Lions in Bonus Point Territory with just 6 points separating the two sides. Even this scant reward was to be snatched from them in the final minute of play when the referee awarded Aylesford a penalty for what appeared an innocuous offence at a ruck, kicked by the fly half to end what has proved an unproductive 2011 for the Lions.

Team.
J.Guy, C.Thatcher, L.Docherty, A. Hart, J.Erskine, A. Michael, O.Best, M.Curd, L.Ambrose, A.Hollingworth, W.Roberts, A. Chamberlain, A. Agar, S.Hanley and J.Hinkins.
Subs
W.Bull, D.Best and L.Hayes.