Lions come up just a foot or two short

National League

Peterborough Lions supporters, officials and players are still scratching their heads in bewilderment. How they failed to win Saturday’s National League clash at home to Old Halesonians is beyond belief.

It was pretty even in the first half and 13-12 to the visitors at the interval was a fair reflection of proceedings.

But in the second half it was the Lions who applied most of the pressure and they werecampedintheHalesonians 22 for long spells.

Indeed, for 15 minutesthey were parked right on the tryline and with the Midlanders short-handed. In fact, for sevenof those minutes they were down to 12 men with three players sin-binned.

Yet for all their huff and pufftheLionsjustcouldn’tget the ball over the line for what would surely have been a winning touchdown.

The whole pack had a go but all were felled a foot or so short. It wasexciting stuff but Halesonians defended heroically and somehow managed to survive the battering.

And then once they were back to full strength they edgedbackuptheotherendof the field to kick two penalties for a19-12 winandleavetheLions winless after five games.

Chairman Andy Moore was, for once, stuck for words afterwards. “I can’t believe we didn’t win that game. I’m speechless,” he said.

Lions are at home again this SaturdaytoTowcestrians.

Tom Aviss on the charge for the Lions.