Leicester Lions survived the drop on the final day of the season for a second successive year with a well deserved but hard earned win against a physical Bishop’s Stortford side. The biggest crowd of the season were treated to another incredible display of both attacking rugby and defensive grit which saw the Lions ensure National One rugby for another year.

Any nerves were settled early when Jamel Hamilton snuck down the blind side to score after only 4 minutes and Luke Bouchier converted superbly from the touchline for an eary lead (7-0).

Stortford responded well though and an excellent try from Stortford’s scrum half Dec Murphy levelled the score when he darted clear from the base of a ruck on half way. (7-7)

A converted try from Chinnor-bound Joe Brock, playing his 50th and last game for the Lions, pushed the home side out in front again, but Stortford hit back again with winger Chris Smith crossing out wide after a powerful driving maul from the visitors’ pack. (14-12)

Although Stortford posed a constant threat through their powerful carrying game, the Lions were dominating the contest and gave themselves a nice buffer with tries either side of half time, through Bouchier who found a gap after some flowing attack and then Hamilton who crossed for his second. Bouchier converting one (26-12).

Veteran hooker Ollie Taylor went over in the corner to give the home side a commanding advantage (31-12) but two driving maul tries from Stortford set up a nervy ending.

Stortford threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the Lions but unbelievable defence, led by the metronomic Johnny Murdoch, forced them back and replacement scrum half Charlie Bemand pounced on a loose ball with 5 minutes to go to seal victory for the Lions, and with it another year in National One.

There was just time for Stortford to grab a final consolation score at the death with a third driving maul try but the jubilant celebrations on the sidelines had already started by this point.

Head coach Gareth Collins commented: ''What an incredible day. By far the biggest crowd I can ever remember here and they really got behind the boys and the boys responded with an incredible performance. Stortford are an excellent team, with lots of firepower, so we had to step up defensively. Some of those sets in the second half were unreal. We always knew if we stuck at it that we'd find our wins at the end of the season. I am so proud of what we've achieved this. National One is such a tough league but we've proved once again that we deserve our seat at the table.''