HERTS SENIOR COUNTY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

LONDON LIONS 2 BOVINGDON 5

Missing skipper Josh Kennet, Adam Burchell and the injured Jordan Marks, Lions fielded Jake Rinsler on the wing in an otherwise familiar line-up; but third-placed Bovingdon – who had lost 8-1 to Lions in December – were ready to frustrate Lions.

Bovingdon played with no fear and really gave Lions back line a difficult afternoon; piercing through on the break several times. The visitors took an early lead, which they would not relinquish, and doubled it with less than 30 minutes on the clock; Lions knew they needed to respond.

A goal just before the break seemed to steady Lions and it was top scorer James Gershfield who’s effort found its way in – claiming his 30th goal of the season.

With the game nicely poised, the key period was to be after the interval as Lions appeared to be in their stride and ready to find the equaliser, but as the game wore on, so did Lions frustration at the dogged defending and it was Bovingdon who increasingly looked dangerous on the break as the visitors made it 3-1 and left Lions a mountain to climb.

Lions introduced last season’s top scorer Max Kyte, but it was Bovingdon with the cutting edge and they again found gaps in the Lions back line to make it 4-1.

Briefly Lions had hope when another sub, Adam Arnold, turned brilliantly on the edge of the box and fired into the bottom corner to reduce the gap to two, but Bovingdon took advantage of Lions throwing everything forward and sealed a 5-2 win late on.

Lions will look to bounce back in another tricky game next week at Sandridge Rovers.

Manager Andy Landesberg said: “This is a good wake-up call for us. We can’t play thinking we are better than we are and have to do everything right in order to win games.

“As for the 100 per cent record going, I am not that bothered and would always swap that for our key goal, which is to win the league.”

LIONS: Reuben Rabstein, Adam Lipman, Charlie Reuben, Andy Glynne, Nick Landesberg, Harry Hatchwell, Jake Furman, Charlie Kasler, Austin Lipman, James Gershfield, Jake Rinsler. Subs: Max Kyte, Adam Arnold, Rocky Spitzer