ORMSKIRK LIONS 23-22 ORMSKIRK BARBARIANS
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 18TH 2012
CRY HAVOC AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR
“Likewise be all manner of beasts, when they be brought into the field and cry havoc, then every man to take his part.”
Thomas De Brotherton, Duke of Norfolk, 1300-1338
Barbarian’s scrum-half, David Price, commented on Facebook that this was the most intense game he had played in for a number of years. I’m inclined to agree. The culmination of the week-long propaganda campaigns by both captains would not disappoint. By 2-15, a sizable crowd pitch-side at Green Lane waited with high expectation as Waterhouse and Taff brought their respective teams into the arena. Referee Malcolm Holland from Wigan stood poised, whistle at the ready, there was no turning back now. The battle was afoot!
The Lions started the brighter, showing their intent early with some neat ¾ moves backed up by some good forward support, but the Barbarians were not prepared to give ground and the play stayed centre field. But inch by meticulous inch, the Lions clawed their way into the opposition half. Lions’ number 8, Big Dave Compton spotted a gap, stomped through giving a peach of a pass to scrum-half Ean Quirk, who galloped over from 15 metres out for his 3rd try of the season. 5-0 and the Lions were roaring.
But cockiness is the first mistake on the road to failure, and after a failed Lions move in their own 22, Barbarians back-row, Staniforth, smashed his way through for a quick riposte to even things up at 5-5. This heralded a period of Barbarians domination that taught the Lions a few good lessons. The scrum started creaking, the green men got on top of the rucks and mauls, and the Lions’ attention span shrank allowing firstly Waterhouse and then Dave Jonsson to score from close range! No conversions thankfully but still the Lions were 15-5 down which was not in the script.
Listen, do you want to know a secret? These words heralded the game changer, a text sent to me by the Lions’ very own musical prop, James Broxton, on Thursday morning stating his availability for the match. Bench warmers don’t get better than this, and although tight-head Nick Roper had done nothing wrong, it’s all about combinations sometimes, which proved to be the case. Ray Allan moved to tight, Brox went loose, and the Lions’ scrum machine kicked back into life like a diesel engine on a frosty morning.
Boom! Went the Lions battle bus. Taff and Mitchell worked the gears, and the men in blue rumbled up the pitch and were awarded a penalty. Kick for goal was the cry. Robertson slots, the Lions comeback is on. 15-8. And from the restart the Dogs of War charged again, driving the Barbarian horde back, gaining great territorial position which from the resultant scrum saw Big Dave pick and go at 8 with no one to stop him! 15-13. All hail the war machine. And then on the brink of half-time, another Lions’ attack saw centre Adam Glover slip several would-be tacklers to score out wide! The St Helens massive goes wild, 18-15 to the Lions at the interval, what a come-back.
Game changer number 2 came at half-time. Several Lions changes saw Mitchell switch to the blind-side for Kendrick, Returnee Martin Dolce came into the boiler-room, Nick Grant made way for Robertson to go to wing, winger Mani Aggrey after a great 1st half made way for Ian Critchley and Simmering Jim McKeown came on at inside centre. Game changer? Well it wasn’t evident at first as the 2nd half was a much different affair from the first. The Lions attacked, the Barbarians defended stoutly. Nothing seemed forthcoming until an innocuous penalty quickly taken by Waterhouse 5 metres from his own line, caught the Lions cat-napping! 75 metres later and a slick pass to his winger Dan Thomas saw the Barbarians take the lead back against the run of play. Ward’s conversion, (the only one of the day), compounded the Lions’ misery and Taff’s incandescent anger! 22-18 Barbarians.
This wasn’t the game-changer by the way, that was Mr Dolce whose experience levelled the Lions’ heads. His constant awareness of where the ball was/or would be, kept the Lions on the front-foot, and as the minutes ticked down the men in blue continued to probe and hassle with Glover, Baillie and Brennan trying to exploit the opportunities. None came. And when a concerted period of Lions’ pressure on the Barbarians’ line yielded nought, you could be forgiven for thinking the match was over.
Whether long range kicker, or suicide rucker, a Lion is a weapon of mass destruction, and if you’re called Baillie or Glover or even Russ Brennan, a Lion is a weapon of mass destruction. Brennan feeds Baillie, Baillie feeds Glover, and a Lion is a weapon of mass destruction! Try Glover!!!!!! 3 minutes left, 23-22 Lions, cue the suicide ruckers. If your names Tamblyn, Dolce or even Taff Gibbon, a Lion is a weapon of mass destruction. Even Richmond or Compton or the Edge Hill youngster, a Lion is a weapon of mass destruction. Taff grabs the ball and flops into touch, Holland blows for time, the crowd go wild, a famous Lions’ victory!
The plaudits go to the Lions as a whole. There are far too many names to mention, but if you played or benched, you were all part of this magnificent victory. I knew I had players to rely on and believe me, if you didn’t get on during this game you were still a part of this momentous day. To all Lions, your captain salutes you. And to Matt and his Barbarians, you were immense. It takes two to tango, and boy didn’t we tango. Be proud of the way you played and take that into your next game. Big thanks to referee Malcolm Holland, excellently refereed sir and great banter to boot, 10/10 from me.
Star-man, well it had to be didn’t it, the Return of the Grinch. Adam played the whole match with a cheeky grin on his face. His talent is huge and probably should be gracing a much higher level, but when you see a player enjoying himself this much you have to let time and history take it’s course and for the record, Adam Glover, Lions’ man of the match, well done Adam, once a Lion, always a Lion, come what may.
And finally, as I flopped into touch and looked up, the sight of my team celebrating was heart warming to say the least. The old man had finally caught his marlin, and would soon be going home to dream of lions.
Green Army!
Taffy.
