The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Hoppers given a big scare as Lions come out fighting
Peterborough Lions are clearly not going down without a fight.
The Bretton club are certain to be relegated after just one season at National League Two level but they’re continuing to battle their socks off.
They entertained Preston Grasshoppers at Solstice Park on Saturday and gave the former first-class club a huge scare.
The Lancashire champions did return home with a win but needed a try in the last seconds of the match to secure their 19-12 victory.
That meant a losing bonus point for the Lions but, once again, it was an effort that warranted more. A draw would certainly have been a fair result with the Lions dominating the first half and Grasshoppers on top in the second half.
It was a brave effort by the basement boys against a tophalf-of-the-table team and the Lions actually led 12-0 at one stage.
For a change it was the Lions who started stronger than their opponents. They came out with all guns blazing, putting Grasshoppers on the back foot straight away and the back row trio of Tom Lewis, skipper Conor Gracey and Aki Lea were into everything.
They bombarded the Preston try-line for long spells and were well worth their 12-0 interval lead built up with tries by Lewis and Lea and a Nico Defeo conversion.
But it all changed in the second period.
Grasshoppers raised their game after the interval and got it back to 12-12 on 63 minutes and that’s how it looked like staying until Grasshoppers nicked it with a try bang on the final whistle .
Lions director of rugby Simon Moyle said: “What a difference it makes when you start well. It gave the whole side a huge lift when we scored first. We kept possession well and we all tackled well in that first half and I thought we fully deserved our half-time lead. We were the better side.
“Unfortunately one or two mistakes were made in the second half and, as we all now know at this level, mistakes get punished.
“Yet we’ve shown once again that when we’re on top of our game we can live with the best of them at this level.
“A swift return to the Midlands Premier Division is now apparent and planning has already begun for next season .
“And despite everything, the quality of the rugby played and the clubs we have visited has certainly whetted the appetite for more of it.”
Lions: Ben Peach, George Roberts, Shaquille Meyers, Suva Ma’asi, Micah Lestrade, Nico Defeo, Tom Dougherty, Josh Waller, Jack Lewis, Joe Lee, Marius Andrijauskas, Will Nankevil, Tom Lewis, Conor Gracey, Aki Lea. Subs: Franco Perticaro, Kaz Henderson, Martin Lewis, Christian Edbrooke, Tom Gulland.
■ In Midlands Division One, Borough were beaten 21-5 at table-topping Kettering while Oundle lost 41-26 at Lutterworth. Robb Shingles crossed for a hat-trick of tries for Oundle.
■ Stamford’s promotion push in Midlands Division Three East (South) continued with a whopping 53-15 win over Rushden & Higham.
And Spalding chalked up an even bigger victory in Midlands Division Thee East (North). They hammered Rolls Royce 74-14 with Ash Ankar scoring four of their 12 tries.
■ There are no English Clubs Championship games this weekend.