Lions Beaten by Strong League Leaders

. The several severe injuries to too many of the 1st XV has imposed a heavy penalty on the Club but the young replacements gained good experience and played very well to give the big and experienced Maidstone side a good contest , as was acknowledged by many of their senior spectators, themselves once very experienced players .
The Lions started well and early in the half, playing against a bitingly cold wind, Carl Thatcher tore away down the left wing to score an excellent try .
This proved to be a stimulus to Maidstone, who came back strongly and used their big pack to advantage in the rucks and fed their strong-running centres who finally broke through the brave defence and scored two converted tries .
The Half-time score was 17-5 to the Home side .
However, the Lions were not cowed and the pack took the game well to Maidstone and after a series of driving mauls and rucks, drove over for another try. Regrettably, without the assured place-kicking of the injured John Sheehan, the conversion points were not added .
Maidstone came back strongly and with some good inter-passing between forwards and backs and the strong running of Graves in the centre, a good try was scored under the posts, which was converted .
Jack Browne, back from injury for his first senior game for many months, was injured again and Robinson had to move into the Fly-half position.
Maidstone attacked hard but were held out by good defence by the young Lions side until they increased their total of points , again with some good inter-passing and power.
However, the Lions did not give up and pinned the Maidstone pack near their line for a good period and finally the pack scored again.
Maidstone are clearly showing their strength in depth of players and are playing confident rugby and scoring tries .
An encouraging sign for the future for the Lions is the gallant way the young players, newly introduced to senior rugby, Sam Ludwig, Ben Ebden, Eoin McGrath and Callum Brayne contested well .
A better performance is hoped for next game and the prospect of some of our key players back from injury is awaited .

Reporter David Storrie