The second game of the season saw the Lions travel to Buxton to face off against the Blazing Rag.
Manager Dean Concannon welcomed back Ryan Parsley to the the team after his week of ratting in Zante. Callum Musgrave also made his way back into the match day squad after being missing for a few games due to last minute preparations for university. Dan Insley returned to goal while Rob Marsden went for his baby scan( which we now no to be a future lions number 10 #boy). Ash Dooley was out with a calf injury and Wez Harrop out with the knee.
For Buxton there can be no complaints with the weather for a game of football but as for the pitch I've seen better playing surfaces on soccer aid when they travel to the 3rd world countries. I no what your thinking ladies and gents it's the same for both sides which is very true but I see it this way. You wouldn't hold swimming competition in your bath, you wouldn't play snooker on a kitchen table SO DON'T PLAY FOOTBALL ON A PITCH WITH 1FT LONG GRASS AND NO LINES. The only lines were consumed in the pub toilets before the game.(RANT OVER).
At the kick off it.was the lions who started the better team playing some good stuff at times. The lions put pressure on with the rag concededing 4 corners one after the other but the lions failed to convert. The lions added pressure and the goal came with Liam Ashton coming in on the back post to find himself on the end of a Jordan watts cross 1-0 lions.
Jake hodkin had a chance to make it 2 but couldn't convert his shot from the edge of the box. With the lions failing to extend their lead the rag came back at them scoring a goal against play making the scores level at half time.
The lions started the 2nd half the brighter team but yet again conceded another goal which didn't look to be coming from the rag.
With 10 mins left the lions switched to a 3-4-3 in search of the equaliser hitting the post and forcing the keeper to make some good saves but couldn't find an answer. It was then the controversial moment of the match when keeper Dan Insley had no option but to bring him down. You could suggest the keeper should have been sent off but wasn't however the challenge was 4 ft outside the box and the ref gave a penalty. Justice was however prevailed as the rag missed but 2 mins later the rag were awarded a 2nd penalty when Mark Ashton bought down their forward in the box thinking he had challenged him outside the box. This time the rag converted
Full time 3-1 rag.
