Lions have to settle for two bonus points in entertaining fixture
Lions 29 Bishop's Stortford 36
Bishop's Stortford deservedly won an entertaining contest on a cold but still day at Westleigh Park but the Lions showed great resolve second half to earn two well-deserved points.
The day couldn’t have started better for the home side when Jake Sterland retrieved the Lions kick off and James Stubbs scored under the posts in the first minute following a clever kick through from Will Glister. Dan Lewis converted for an early lead (7-0).
The visitors responded well though and levelled the score when Rogers crossed through a driving maul following a kick to touch from a penalty. Riddington converted to level the scores (7-7).
The Lions were on the wrong end of a number of penalty decisions in the first half and were reduced to 14 when Myall was adjudged to have made a tackle within 10 metres of a quick tap. Stortford took advantage scoring again through a driving maul, this time through hooker Rayment. Their lead was then further extended when a crossfield kick was gathered by Rogers to claim his second. Riddington converting one of the scores to give the visitors a 7-19 lead.
The Lions did reduce the deficit just before half time when the returning Myall crossed in the corner following an extended period of pressure that saw the Lions rewarded for their bravery to kick to the corner rather than the posts.
Half time score 12-19.
Stortford were first on the scoresheet second half, scoring their bonus point try on 49 minutes when yet another driving maul was converted by Rayment and then 10 minutes later the contest was seemingly put to bed when Stannard chipped and regathered a fortunate bounce to give the visitors a commanding 12-33 lead.
The last 20 minutes proved to be the Lions' best passage of the game though and they started moving the ball much better and made a number of line breaks. Their first try came through Lewis Chessum who profited from Ogden’s clever break at the base of a ruck. Lewis converted to reduce the arrears (19-33).
Lloyd kicked a long range penalty to secure the result for Stortford but another converted Myall try with 5 minutes remaining secured a try bonus for the home side and a Lewis penalty on 79 minutes earned the Lions a losing bonus point as well.
Final score 26-33
Head coach Gareth Collins commented: ''It was a frustrating one today. Ultimately our discipline cost us and we made too many errors but credit to Stortford, they were aggressive and attacked the breakdown and got rewarded for that. We again showed some incredible attacking rugby, and I'm pleased we got two points from that, but we have to better in the contact areas so that will be our focus this week. Chinnor are a very physical side so we'll need to better next week.''
Leicester Lions team:
Patrick, Sterland, Hamilton, Myall, Glister, Lewis, Stubbs; Williams (c), Taylor, Nonleh, Chessum, Ward, Atuanya, Murdoch, Godefroy.
Replacements: Johnson, Haffar, Thompson, Brock, Ogden.
Bishop Stortford team:
Powell, Stannard, Biard, Ayrton (c), Smith, Riddington, Bolton; Hill, Rayment, Peck, Kiff, Charter, Langworthy, Jones, Rogers.
Replacements: Hussey, Ramzan, Waddell, Tierney, Lloyd.
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