GARSTON VETS LEAGUE
OLD WOODHOUSIANS 1 LONDON LIONS 2

London Lions ensured there was no cup hangover as they ground out a hard fought 2-1 win, overcoming the small pitch and physical opponents to take the points back to Rowley Lane.

A cup semi-final at the ground meant the game was not only delayed to an 11.30am KO but also saw the fixture moved from the glorious main pitch to the smaller top pitch with its big slope.

Woods, in their first season in the league, are a strong team with some fine players, but having lost to Lions in both the league and cup this season it was clear from the off that they were in no mood to allow their visitors time to settle.

Three hefty challenges in the openeing stages might well have led to yellow cards on another day, these though set the tone for what was to be a scrappy half with neither team giving an inch.

For Lions, Hadley Silver, Paul Lenchner and Adam Kaye all had sights of goal, but none were clear cut and none were taken.

At the other end, Lions were defensively resolute; Andy Myers, Danny Schindler, Jon Rayner, Marc Greene and Craig Henry all playing their part in protecting Dan Jacobs, with his reflexes only tested the once when he did excellently to tip away a mis-cued back header by Henry.

With the slope in their favour in the second period, Lions were perhaps guilty of thinking they'd done all the hard work in getting to the break with the game goalless, but when Henry allowed a hopeful ball upfield to bypass him, Woods' lively striker nipped in and poked the ball home.

The hosts almost doubled the lead soon after, but the loose ball from a half-cleared corner was blazed over from 12 yards.

Lions needed to steady the ship, the calming influence of Schindler and Green in particular allowed them to do so. Finally, therefore, Lions began to get the ball down and trusted themselves to play through midfield where Craig Pearl, Matty Kleinman and Dan Piler started to get on top. Rayner was moved to the right where there was space, and he soon started to see plenty of the ball although his final delivery initially didn't quite find the mark. But he looked the man most likley, and so it was to prove, but not in the manner expected.

Jacobs launched a towering kick downfield that Lenchner expertly flicked on. Rayner anticipated well, darted inside and unleashed a terrific half-volley from the edge of the box that flew past the keeper to level things up.

Piler and Pearl each found him again, but the sweet finish couldn't be found again, but Lions were the team on top. And this period of dominanace was rewarded with 15 minutes to go when a long Rayner throw was flicked on at the near post for Pearl to bravely nod home at the far stick.

Lions thought they'd settled matters when Lenchner's shot was blocked only after crossing the line (as was later admitted by the home side), but it was impossible for the referee to give. And so, with just a goal in it, Woods remained in the hunt and would have taken a share of the spoils but for two excellent saves from Jacobs in the closing stages.

Lions survived five minutes of injury time without further alarm to record a most satisfying victory. Whilst not a great game to play in it was, in the end, a great game to win.

LIONS: Dan Jacobs, Jon Rayner, Marc Greene, Craig Henry, Andy Myers, Dan Piler, Matt Kleinman, Hadley Silver, Paul Lenchner, Adam Kay. Subs: Max Radford, Danny Schindler

Scorers: Jon Rayner, Craig Pearl

Man-of-the-match: Jon Rayner