Fylde 41: Tries: Adam Lewis (1), Tom Carleton (5), Ben Gregory (21, 34), Henry Hadfield (49), Tom Burtonwood (58); Conversions: Greg Smith (10, 35, 50, 59); Penalties: Greg Smith (39);

It was a damp autumn afternoon for Lions’ game against Fylde. There was light drizzle throughout the game, which made the ball difficult to handle and this led to quite a few errors.
Fylde started the game with some positive play, putting Lions under pressure. After 1 minute their prop Adam Lewis charged down a Lions’ clearance kick to follow it up by touching down for a try. Fylde attacked again and worked the ball across the pitch for full-back Tom Carleton to outwit the Lions’ defence to go over in the corner for a try after 5 minutes, with Greg Smith adding the conversion and taking the lead 0-12.
After 18 minutes Lions came back into the game with second-row Ethan Godefroy going over for a try following a rolling maul, with Harry Key adding the conversion.
Fylde soon came back, driving the ball down the pitch with their hooker Ben Gregory going over for a try after 21 minutes, reopening their lead to 7-17.
The table tennis to and fro scoring continued with Lions’ Godefroy driving over for his second try on 28 minutes, closing the score to 12-17.
It was Fylde’s turn to score with Gregory going over for his second try following driving play, with Smith adding the conversion.
In the closing minutes of the first half Smith added a penalty for Fylde to make the score 12-27.

Half Time: Leicester Lions 12 Fylde 27

At the start of the second half Lions’ Godefroy took a quick tap penalty for Lions, catching Fylde not concentrating and outpaced their defence to score his hat trick try and put Lions within striking range, making the score 17-27.
For ten minutes Fylde upped their gear and scored two converted tries. On 49 minutes Fylde’s winger Henry Hadfield went through the Lions’ defence to score a try and on 58 minutes Fylde’s replacement Tom Burtonwood ran past the Lions’ defence to score a try. Smith added the two conversions and Fylde had a healthy lead at 17-41, with the final quarter of the game to go.
On 66 minutes Fylde’s Burtonwood was yellow carded for a technical offence.
A spirited revival by Lions was helped by them having a numerical advantage in the number of players. On 69 minutes Lions’ Harry Key jinxed his way through the centre to score a try, with Max Titchener adding the conversion.
On 70 minutes Fylde’s David Fairbrother was yellow carded for a high tackle.
Lions continued their pressure and after 76 minutes their back-row Simon Johnson broke through the Fylde defence and went over for a try, with Key adding the conversion. Just three minutes to go and Lions had closed the score to 31-41.
Lions continued their attacking and in the final play of the game attempted a penalty which would have given them a losing bonus point, but the penalty just missed the posts.

Final Score: Leicester Lions 31 Fylde 41

A deserved win by Fylde, but a well contested game, with Fylde having the upper hand for the first sections of the game, but Lions came back strongly in the second half. An exciting afternoon with seventy two points scored. A plethora of tries; six to Fylde and five to Lions.