Match Reports 23 November 2019

Saturday 23rd November 2019

Last minute penalty by Ben Young gives Lions the win at Bournemouth

League Points 0-4

Bournemouth 16: Tries: Freddie Gleadowe (61); Conversions: Grant Hancox (61); Penalties: Grant Hancox (19, 66, 74);
Leicester Lions 17: Tries: Kaz Henderson (6); Penalties: Ben Young (4, 58, 68, 80);

This was the first ever league visit of Leicester Lions to Dorset to play Bournemouth, at Chapel Gate, Christchurch, after Lions’ move to National League 2 South.
Lions started putting Bournemouth under pressure and they soon conceded a penalty, with Ben Young putting the ball between the posts for Lions to take an early 0-3 lead.
Lions continued their pressure and Lions worked the ball along the back line for winger Kaz Henderson to go over in the corner for a try to open their lead to 0-8.
Bournemouth started to come back into the game putting Lions under pressure, but excellent defence by Lions held them at bay.
The pressure by Bournemouth in the first half led to Grant Hancox scoring a penalty to close the gap to 3-8.
On 24 mins Lions’ George Turner was yellow carded.

Half Time: Bournemouth 3 Leicester Lions 8

On 58 mins Ben Young scored a penalty for Lions to reopen the score gap to eight points.
Bournemouth soon retaliated with a clever move between their centres for Freddie Gleadowe to score a try, with Grant Hancox adding the extras, closing the score to 10-11.
Lions’ Devon Constant was yellow carded on 66 mins.
Soon after Grant Hancox added a penalty for Bournemouth, giving them the lead for the first time in the game at 13-11.
Almost straight after Ben Young kicked a penalty for Lions to regain the lead at 13-14.
With the end of the game looming Lions offended and Grant Hancox scored a penalty to put Bournemouth back in the lead at 16-14.
In the dying minutes of the game Lions’ Ben Young missed a penalty, but in the final minute he calmly slotted over a penalty to give Lions a winning lead at 16-17.

Full Time: Bournemouth 16 Leicester Lions 17

Both sides attempted to make it a competitive game. A try a piece to Bournemouth and Lions. Lions made a good start to the game, but Bournemouth showed some character with their comeback as the game progressed. A close win for Lions.
Following the game Lions are in fifth position in the league and Bournemouth are holding up the table. A good start to the season for Lions, with nine victories from the first twelve fixtures.
Lions’ head coach, Gareth Collins, said, “This was obviously a nail biting game, especially in the last quarter when Bournemouth pushed us to a close result. This was not the best game we have played during the season, but it was good to see the way the team stuck to the task at hand right to the end and produced a hard won victory.”

Teams – Order 15-9, 1-8, 16-20
Bournemouth: Alex Sutherland, Dan Stewart, Freddie Gleadowe, Scott Chislett, Ben Meaden, Dan Kirkpatrick, Grant Hancox, Joe Spiller, Alan Manning, George Cotterell, Ben Roberts, Sam Knott, Tobias Kenneally, Ben Russell, Joe Rees
Replacements: Michael Davies, James Griffiths, Matt Warwick, Michael Pope, Carlos Snell

Leicester Lions: Tom Benjamin, Kaz Henderson, Luke Veebel, Jamel Hamilton, Devon Constant, Ben Young, Sam Eveleigh, Rhod McNaughton, Drew Rudkin, Shaun Murray, Ollie Tapscott, Will Ward, George Turner, Simon Johnson, Nick Cairns
Replacements: Charlie Loveday, Will Roberts, Ethan Godefroy, Laurence Warren-West, James Stubbs