On Sunday the London Scottish Lions Colts returned to action in only their third competitive league match after being reformed this season and it was also their first home game at Kings House Sports Ground. With both teams suffering losses in earlier rounds of the competition, this game presented an opportunity for either team to take maximum points and stake their claim for a home quarter final.
With the recent rain affecting the No.1 pitch, the game was played in overcast and cold conditions on pitch 2 at Kings House which was holding up well despite the recent weather. The first half saw the Lions Colts come out of the blocks firing right from the first whistle with some individual flair and brilliant team play to put training ground moves into action on the field. The team was able to dominate the contact area, recycle the ball quickly and convert tryline pressure into points, outscoring Dorking by four tries to one before the end of the first half. HT Lions Colts 26-5 Dorking.
The second half started much like the first, with the Lions Colts getting straight back into their structure and continued their first half dominance. The set piece was also working well with the scrum and lineout both being effective. The Lions Colts were able to convert further visits into the opponents 22 with another four unanswered tries. Despite the increasing scoreline Dorking continued to fight for everything, put the Lions under lots of pressure at times and never gave up. Full Time score Lions Colts 52-5 Dorking.
The game was played in good spirits between the two teams. In only their third competitive match together, the young Lions were able to take the learnings from the previous games and apply it in this fixture, converting time in the opposition 22 into points which they couldn’t do against Rosslyn Park. For a newly formed squad, all 17 players that took the field in this game, showed the Lions spirit and teamwork of a much more established team. Once again there was a lot of talent on display for London Scottish Lions and the future looks bright for the club.
It was a true team effort and every player deserved recognition but there were also some notable mentions: Evan (flanker) who was nominated as MotM by Dorking and also kicked 6 out of 8 conversions; Antonio (hooker) who was nominated as MotM by the Lions Colts captain Josh (centre) who himself also played very well leading the team throughout and making a number of line breaks; Zeike (centre) who proved a handful for the opposition with ball in hand and in defence; Amuary and Cormac who played at Fly-Half and Fullback respectively for the first time on Sunday; and Max (TH Prop) who was persuaded out of a short retirement to take the field to play Rosslyn Park, then again on Sunday, playing a full 70 minutes and is now a key member in the squad.
A special thank you to our referee, Harry Churchill, who following a shortage of society referees available this weekend, stepped in to be the referee and managed the game extremely well. Also to all our supporters who came out on a 6 Nations weekend to support us and who helped with team logistics. And finally, London Scottish Lions Colts would not be possible without the fantastic support from the Velocity Trade team and their sponsorship.
The next game for the London Scottish Colts is on Sunday 2nd March in the Quarter Finals. Game details to be confirmed.
