With injuries, suspension and child birth starting to decimate the Lions, the next few weeks could prove to be difficult for the Lion.
After both teams traded off early shots, Adam Wash broke through the Hambleton backline and added to his current goal-scoring run, ten minutes later he added a second with a deflected shot finding its way past the stranded Hambleton goal keeper. But as with previous games, the Lions went off the boil midway through the first half and Hambleton took full advantage pulling a goal back. Haxby stiffen up at the back and withstood the increasing Hambleton pressure to go in at halftime with a 2-1 lead.
Whatever had been said by the lions management team at half time seemed to of worked, as with 30 second of the second half beginning, Peter Dransfield managed to find the net twice to propel Haxby to a 4-1, but in true Haxby fashion they let Hambleton strike back immediately. Not to be outdone, Dransfield quickly completed his second half hat trick and minutes later Adam Wash completed his trick from the penalty spot (with no Mendy around this week to stop him); Hambleton were not about to roll over and die, and kept themselves in contention with two more goal; but ultimately they couldn’t pull it back, with strong work in the middle of the pitch from Mark Godfrey and Matthew Wash, led to another penalty been converted by Lions centre-back, David Thompson and the victory was assured when 5 minutes from the end Michael Taylor used his speed to break through the Hambleton defence and coolly slotted his shot passed the keeper to see the Lions to an 8-4 victory.
The game ended in a solid, hard-thought victory for Haxby, but whilst Hambleton have proven to be the Lions strongest opposition to date, the entire team knows that a massive improvement is needed over the next few weeks as some tough match ups lie ahead.
Lions Goals : Dransfield 3, A Wash 3, Taylor, Thompson - M.O.M : A Wash