Leicester Lions 23 Stourbridge Saxons 23

Leicester Lions got off to a storming start. After some slick ball handling, Lions’ towering second row Will Roach crossed over the white wash in just under five minutes from a powerful pick and drive. Jonathan Williams added the extras. (7-0)

On eight minutes, Joe Collingham, the Lions number 8 made an outstanding defensive read, flying out the line and intercepting the ball eventually dotting it down between the sticks. Williams coolly converted from ten metres out. (14-0)

However, Stourbridge soon hit back with a try of their own through a powerful driving maul, Chris Depper was the scorer. Mitchell couldn’t convert. (14-5)

Stourbridge were next on the score sheet via a sweetly struck Mitchell penalty. (14-8)

After an array of pressure, Stourbridge eventually caved, the referee awarding Lions a penalty on the half hour mark which Williams made short work of making the score (17-8). The score remained till half time.

With a nine-point lead at the turn of the half, it seemed Lions had the game well within their grasps. However, it was Stourbridge who drew first blood after the break with a try from Nigel Mukarati, Mitchell was unable to tie the game up. (17-15)

Shortly after, Lions hit back with two penalties of their own coming from the faultless boot of Jonathan Williams, giving Lions an eight-point cushion. (23-15)

Arguably the play of the game coming Joe Heatley, the Stourbridge 13 soon reduced the deficit. Managing to waltz through what seemed an impossible gap, leading him to streak past the Lions covering defenders resulting in a five pointer for the West Midlanders. Mitchell could not capitalise on the extras. (23-20)

Stourbridge full-back Mitchell was gifted the opportunity to tie the game with a routine penalty which he did so, making the game (23-23) with ten minutes to play. With an attacking scrum twenty metres from the Stourbridge try line, Lions had the perfect opportunity to regain the lead. However, a dubious penalty awarded by the referee gave Stourbridge an easy out, kicking a penalty to touch, relieving the pressure. In the dying minutes of the game, Thomas Mitchell whose luck was against him when kicking from the tee, had the chance to win the match with a 40 metre penalty. His attempt was unsuccessful. The match finished (23-23).

Report by John Hargreaves