SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS DIVISION ONE
LONDON LIONS 3 BUSH HILL RANGERS 3

London Lions ended a testing weekend with a fantastic point against Bush Hill Rangers in the SSML.

With all of Lions selection problems in recent months, they were incredibly able to select two different sides for what was always going to be a difficult weekend, with the team reaching the Peter Morrison Trophy semi-finals 24 hours later.

A superb Dean Nyman double and Omri Brinner's first goal for the club, ensured Lions picked up another creditable point in an entertaining 3-3 draw against Bush Hill Rangers.

Bush Hill are one of a handful of teams who get the ball down and try to play. With the deterioration in the pitch at Hemel Hempstead, it has become almost impossible to commit to playing any football so it was a credit to both sides for trying.

Lions made several changes once again to the team also being mindful of the tough match in Leeds just 24 hours later. The evergreen Danny Jacobs took pride of place in the Lions goal with Jon Ellis, Kyle Bentwood, Nick Barnett and Ben Lampert making up the back four. Sam Shooter, Andy Glynne, Dean Nyman, Tony Gold, Omri Brinner and TJ Keterman completed the line-up.

With 15 minutes on the clock, Keterman's hamstring nightmare reoccurred, unfortunately resulting in him having to be replaced. Zac Rose moved into his natural right-back position allowing Barnett more freedom in an advanced position.

Ten minutes later Lions were in front. Nyman latched on to an Ellis clearance, breaking clear and seeing the keeper off his line he calmly lobbed the ball over his head into the empty goal. Nyman reeled away pointing to the sky seemingly dedicating his goal to a past loved one.

The home side were in the grove but it wasn't always one-way traffic. The visitors always looked threatening and Lions couldn't switch off for a second.

Nyman then doubled Lions and his tally with an almost carbon copy of his first goal. Jacobs launched a powerful kick which caught Bush Hill flat and Nyman raced clear to once again sport the keeper in no man's land and loft the ball over his head into the goal.

With two minutes of the half left Lions were caught sleeping at a corner and Bush Hill scored a cheap goal to slightly change the dynamics of the half.

The goal clearly gave the visitors the lift they needed and 15 minutes into the second period they were level, once again from another corner. Lions failed to clear their lines sufficiently and the returning ball was kicked into the ground taking an unnatural bounce and somehow finding itself nestled in the goal.

With five draws from their last seven games, Lions have shown if nothing else a resolve. Unperturbed, almost from the restart Lions were in front again. A great Nyman run and exquisite cross was met by the on-rushing Brinner, whose header was brilliantly dispatched home.

With the home side tiring they had to dig deep as in the final 15 minutes they started to absorb a lot of pressure. Lions started to concede unnecessary free-kicks around their 18-yard box. The warning was there from the first one Bush Hill took, but it wasn't recognised and the second free kick was dispatched home following a cruel bounce off the sand in the Lions six-yard box.

Lions ended robustly and could look back over the 90 minutes with immense satisfaction earning another good point.

Lions boss Tony Gold said: "It's always disappointing to lose a lead but given the circumstances, I am delighted with the effort and application of all the players today.

"We literally threw 11 players together today and they did the club proud. They had the confidence and belief to have a go and that is all anyone can ask. Deano scored two cracking goals and Omri got his reward for a hard working performance.

"The goals we conceded weren't great but they were all from set-pieces so we can't have any complaints.

"The lads have never worked on any set-pieces so it really is like Russian roulette. Every game we play is a test and today we passed. We now face the top four in our next four games which will be interesting."

LIONS: Danny Jacobs, Jon Ellis, Kyle Bentwood, Nick Barnett, Ben Lampert, Sam Shooter, Andy Glynne, Dean Nyman, Tony Gold, Omri Brinner, TJ Keterman (sub: Zac Rose)