Photos courtesy of Debbie Lloyd
A scrappy, error-strewn contest played on a bone-dry Westleigh Park surface, none of which will matter to Leicester Lions who pick up five valuable points to move out of the National League One relegation zone – for the time-being at least.
In contrast, for Blackheath, an instantly forgettable afternoon, despite the late try for Jake Hennessey that salvaged two, arguably undeserved, bonus points.
One or two moments apart, the Club never hit the form that had seen them win their four previous matches on the spin, making numerous mistakes and conceding nine first period penalties, four of them in the opening eight minutes.
Showing more hunger, Lions gorged themselves on the errors, pouncing on loose ball on ten minutes for Mali Satali to cross, and although Hennessey’s strong break down the left touchline sent Finn Gilmour over in response, a stolen lineout produced a second for Satali, the Lions’ wing showing great pace to score, showboating as he crossed the goal-line.
Fly-half Luke Bouchier added a penalty to two successful conversions and the East Midlanders led 17-7 at the break.
Hopes were raised for the visitors as, within two minutes of the restart, Tom Ffitch found a gap in the defensive line to send Hennessey across but, frequently undone at the breakdown, the Club were soon back under pressure, Lions’ hooker Arthur Allen crossing for a converted try from lineout ball.
The game continued in its messy, and often careless, fashion but again Blackheath pulled themselves back into contention, as Mike Hoyt, playing at number-eight, broke through the midfield, Augy Slowik moved up from full-back to neatly re-gather his own grubber-kick, before finding Jack Daly on his inside to score.
However, with the visitors looking to force a winning score in the closing stages, an interception on halfway saw ball hoofed towards the Club’s in-goal, before a tackle off the ball on Lions’ scrum-half Charlie Bemand conceded a penalty try, as well as a second yellow card for the unfortunate Josh Smart.
Hennessey muscled over following a close-range scrum, for consolation, but too late to affect the outcome.
National League Rugby takes a break over Easter weekend, but returns for its final round of fixtures on 26th April when Blackheath visit champions Richmond. Kick off at the Athletic Ground is at 3.00 pm.
Leicester Lions
Tries: Satala 10, 25, Allen 51, Penalty 74
Conv: Bouchier 10, 25, 51
Pens: Bouchier 35
Blackheath
Tries: Gilmour 19, Hennessey 42, 80, Daly 68
Conv: Ffitch 19, 68, 80
Attendance: 217
| 15 | . | Augy Slowik |
| 14 | . | Jake Lloyd |
| 13 | . | Finn Gilmour |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 10 | . | Tom Ffitch |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | Will Davis |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding |
| 3 | . | Andy Boye |
| 4 | . | Tom Baldwin (Capt) |
| 5 | . | Tex Cavubati |
| 6 | . | Josh Smart |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Mike Hoyt |
| 16 | . | Oli Walliker |
| 17 | . | Rory Marsh |
| 18 | . | Archie Holland |
| 19 | . | Jack Daly |
| 20 | . | Matt Armstrong |
Graham Cox
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