The May Day Bank holiday weekend saw Blackpool Stanley challenge the Lions to a friendly as last time they had several players missing.

The Lions had worked hard pre match on defense and line speed and were ready for the challenge of the 'pools :-)

With just 13 players the Lions had Paddy and Dave on Lancashire duty the second rows Callum and Paddy Mac moved upto prop and we shuffled the backline and moved Eddie and James into the second row.

Despite the new positons the Lions took the game to Stanley from the off with a try with a try from debutant Jonny Orr within 5 mins as he skirted round the outside of the defence to go 50m. Try was converted by Josh Jones and the score was 6-0.

Stanley kicked off and from the return the Lions scored immediately through Caylum Williams as he wrong footed the defence several times to score under the sticks. Extras added by Josh 12-0.

Stanley settled and had some good passages of play holding out the Lions for 5mins before some slick passing saw Caylum side step the defensive line again to score. Niot converted 16-0.

The stanley ko saw the ball go straight to Josh Jones who annoyed with himself for missing the conversion took the line on and broke through and went in from 30m out, converted try score was 22-0.

Stanley then went for a long ko to fullback Shaun Cline, who once again showed amazing pace and deception to dance his way through the line and run in from 80m out. He does this to most teams so it came as no surprise to the coaches. Score 26-0.

The next ko went central. The Lions this time were made to work the ball back up field and two sets each way were played out before Caylum buried his way over from close to the line. Score now 30-0. Stanley defnded much more strongly and the half time score stayed the same.

The second half saw Stanley come out much stronger and there was no score for 10 mins. The deadlock was broken when the Lions manaaged a good flowing passing move which saw James Devlin score his first Lions try. Score 34-0.

It was a case if deja vu for the next three tries as Stanley kicked off short, high and to touch but Jonny Orr got to all three and showing some amazing pace he scored back to back long range efforts down the wing. Score now 48-0.

The next ko went centre field and some great play from the forwards saw the Lions make the hard yards down the middle. Eddie showed some great promise charging onto the ball. And Callum T and Callum W were driving hard. With Paddy and Caylum switching at dummy half the Stanley defence were on the back foot. caylum scooted from dummy half to go over with 10 mins to go. Score 52-0

The next ko found Will Dagnall who made a big run up field and he was unlucky not to score after side stepping several players, the scrambling Stanley defence hauled him down ten metres short. the quick play the ball saw it shifted right and Josh with the overlap could have fired the ball to James Devlin to score a sitter but the gap opened and he crashed over himself and converted score niw 58-0.

Blackpool looked in danger of being niled so they really put in a big effort hold the lions out. A couple of great
Runs from their big prop saw them make the yards up field. A great side step and a dive over close to the line from acting half back saw them score 58-6.

The ko from the Lions saw them have to defend manfully as the Stanley had somenew found confidence after scoring. Both sides worked through their sets of six and there was no score for 5 mins.

the deadlock was broken by a trademark weaving run from Caylum going in from 30m out, extras added by Josh score now 64-6. With only minutes to go stanley kicked off again. Once again the Lions worked the ball out well with it going first right to James C, Anthony and Josh before it went left to the props, a set of quick hands saw Caylum sidestep again and score under the sticks. Final score 70-6 after Josh converted.

A nice clean friendly game with both teams having things to work on and credit to stanley for showing the tenacity to score and keep their heads up