Tynedale 17 Leicester Lions 20

For the first game of the season Lions travelled the short distance to relegated National 1 side Tynedale. Following a long journey and a good warm up the game kicked off. After just a few minutes, John Boden was shot by a sniper from the stands and was forced off with a hamstring injury. This meant an early entrance for Kane Nixon and a reshuffle in the back line.

Tynedale started off strongly, breaking the Lions defence on a number of occasions and with the help of 2 penalties and an unconverted try went 11-0 up. The Lions defence and attack started to form more shape and a 30m burst from Joe Collingham and swift offload to Rob Young allowed Lions to capitalise on an overlap with Sam Benjamin scoring in the corner. Will Bishop coolly slotted the conversion from 5 metres out. After the Tynedale fullback kicked a penalty wide with the last play of the half the teams went into the break with the scores 11-7 to the home side.

Lions started strongly in the second half with more direct running and solid defence with Jonny Murdoch making tackle after tackle. In the 45th minute Will Bishop kicked a penalty to leave Leicester trailing by just one point. The Lions scrum was dominant, winning penalty after penalty off their own ball and Leicester continued to make ground with breaks from Joe Collingham and Jonny Murdoch creating opportunities for the away side. However Tynedale took a snap dropkick at goal to put the home side 4 points ahead.

Leicester capitalised on some promising phase play after Sam Benjamin picked a peach of a line to beat the full back and winger to touch down under the posts. Will Bishop simply converted to leave the scores at 17-14 to Leicester with 10 minutes to go.

After Devon Constant was yellow carded for a 'dangerous' arm to the face the Lions were forced to play out the last 10 minutes with just 14 players. After the Lions soaked up pressure, they eventually gave away a penalty which the Tynedale fullback converted to level the scores even at 17 apiece.

The last 5 minutes were tense as Tynedale narrowly missed a penalty kick to go in front. Yet again, the dominant Leicester scrum proved too much for the Tynedale pack as the Lions were awarded a penalty with the last play of the game. Time for Will Bishop to calmly step up and nudge the ball between the posts for the win.

A great start to the season for the Lions who go away to Otley next week.

Report by Nick Taylor