Lions undone in second half by clinical Clifton

LEICESTER Lions started their 2021-22 home season with a game against Clifton, who had started last week with a significant 71-0 home win against league newcomers, Barnstaple.

The game started with some well balanced play, but Clifton lacked discipline and quickly conceded two penalties, scored by Lions’ Ben Young on three and five minutes.

Clifton soon settled and had a purple patch, with second row Henry Harper driving over to score a try, Luke Cozens adding the conversion, quickly followed by a flowing move with Marcus Nel going over. Only 12 minutes gone and Clifton had taken a 6-12 lead.

The remainder of the first half was well balanced, with both sides having opportunities, until Isaac Thompson, who had only just come on as a replacement, powered his way over for Lions’ first try, Ben Young adding the extras to give Lions a tight 13-12 lead going in for the interval.

Just after the interval, Cozens for Clifton and Young for Lions exchanged penalties to take the score to 16-15 after 45 mins.

Clifton then started to exert some command on the game. Lions were giving away penalties with some regularity and a penalty by Cozens took Clifton back into the lead on 55 minutes.

Effective play by Clifton’s back row allowed them to power over, with tries for wing forward Harry Bate (61 minutes) and No 8 Niall Gibbons (67 minutes) to open the score up to 16-28 and also giving Clifton their four-try bonus point.

When Cozens added another penalty for Clifton, taking the score to 16-31, it started to look like Clifton might be taking control of the game.

But after the restart Lions showed some excellent resolution, Dan Martin breaking through the centre to add Lions’ second try to close the gap to 21-31.

In the dying moments of the game Lions were pressurising the Clifton line, with Clifton giving away a penalty.

Lions took the pragmatic decision, Young adding the three points, taking the score to 24-31, giving Lions a losing bonus point.

Lions head coach, Gareth Collins, said: “Clifton are a good side and we knew they would be really physical.

“I was pleased with how we started but a couple of turnovers and the complexion of the game changed very quickly.

“We did really well to regather and get ourselves into the game. We created a number of good moments but unfortunately we didn’t make them stick and to be fair to Clifton they were more clinical and deserved the victory.”

On Saturday, Lions are away at Westcliff RFC, near Southend-on-Sea.