The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Lions ravaged by injury but still hope to finish on a high at home
It’s the last chance to watch National League rugby in Peterborough - at least for a while - when Peterborough Lions hostTynedale at Solstice Park, Bretton, on Saturday (3pm).
The top city side will be returning to the Midlands Premiership next season after an eye-opening first season of playing in the fourth tier of English club rugby.
They will finish bottom of National League Two (North) and would love nothing more than to complete their home programme with a win.
But it won’t be easy. The visitors from Northumberland are sixth in the table and have won their last three games whereas the Lions will be down to the bare bones.
Four players were added to an already lengthy injury-list last Saturday when the Lions lost 53-21 at Sheffield Tigers. Skipper Conor Gracey (back), Jack Lewis (collarbone), Ben Young (knee) and Allen Carr (head) all had to go off and are battling to recover for this weekend.
“I just hope we can give our supporters something to cheer in our last home game,” said Lions chairman Andy Moore. “But I do know we are really struggling big-time with injuries.
“We were doing really well at Sheffield until four players had to go off. It was one after the other and we were down to 13 players at one stage. That’s when Sheffield did most of their scoring. We were at sixes and sevens and they cashed in.
“But whatever side we manage to put out against Tynedale, we’ll put up a fight. We’ve never been a pushover at this level and have shown great character.
“Of course we’ve found it tough, much tougher than anticipated, but now we know what to expect we’ll be better prepared when we return and we will be back!”
The Lions final fixture is away to Wharfdale on April 27.
Borough will be out to finish third in Midlands Division One when they conclude their season at struggling Northampton Old Scouts.
A bonus-point win should be achievable and then they just have to hope that Oadby Wyggestonians get nothing form their trip to runners-up Paviors.
Borough won’t get anything for finishing third but it will certainly provide the club with a solid platform on which to build their promotion push next season.
Borough thrashed rockbottom Melton Mowbray 78-0 last weekend with Joe Andresen, Ryan Adams and Michael Bean all touching down twice.
Stamford could finish second in Midlands Division Three East (South). They have to win their last game at Birstall and hope that Leicester Forest get beaten at home by table-topping Northampton Casuals to make the promotion play-offs. National League Division Two North Sheffield Tigers ........................................ 53 Peterborough Lions (tries: J. Lewis, T. Lewis, Askham. cons: Young 2, Defeo) ...... 21
Midlands Division One (East)
Oundle (tries: Sait 2, Sharpley. cons: Carrington 2. pens: Carrington 4) ............. 31 Oadby Wyggestonians .............................. 42
Peterborough (tries: Andresen 2, Adams 2, Crooks, Bean 2, Tshepo-Olebile, Cowell, Stapleton, Myles, D. Pearce. cons: Andresen 4, Newman 5) ........................................... 78 Melton Mowbray ........................................ 0
Midlands Division Two East (South) Oakham .................................................... 46 Huntingdon .............................................. 24
Midlands Division Three East (South) Rushden & Higham .................................... 12 Bourne (try: Greenwood. con: Evison. pens: Evison 5) ................................................... 22
Stamford v Biggleswade - home win, Biggleswade conceded
Midlands Division Three East (North) Spalding (tries: Mason, Chappell, Shields, Sharman, Piccaver. cons: Mason 3) .......... 31 Ashfield ..................................................... 31
Midlands Division Four East (South) Sileby Town ............................................... 68 Deepings .................................................... 0
Stamford College Old Boys v Brackley - away win, Stamford College Old Boys conceded
Thorney ..................................................... 21 Bedford Swifts .......................................... 19
London Division Three Eastern Counties: Thetford .................................................... 77 Wisbech (tries: Prestidge 3, Steenkamp 2, Malkin, Vickers. cons: Malkin 4) ............... 43 Peterborough 2nds .................................. 53 Oundle 2nds ................................................ 5