Opening day Defeat

The first game in the new SAL league saw the Lions side go down 4-1.
In a very competitive game it was the visitors who took control of the early stages. And after 20 minutes, it was the Lions that took the lead, Lazarus won back possession halfway inside the Owens half, played it forward to Lenchner who turned and struck a low shot from distance, which the hosts keeper struggled to deal with, Reuben was first onto the parried re bound to smash the ball home off the underside of the bar.
Lions playing some very nice football, with Sam McCarthy making his debut at right back, at the heart of all the positive play but the Lions couldn’t find a second, Bentley and Silver firing shots off target.
Lions introduced Barnett and Warren and shortly after the half time break came the turning point, good work from Warren that saw him square the ball to Barnett before being felled inside the box, the referee playing the advantage and Barnett struck his shot straight at the stranded keeper. What should have been 2-0 wasn’t to be and the home side grew in confidence from this point on.
The equaliser came soon after, a hopeful cross found its way in over Lee and Owens 2nd came after good work through the middle. Their third goal came from a Lazard own-goal and Owens wrapped things up with the goal of the game, after their centre forward riffled an unstoppable shot into the top left hand corner.

4-1 was a slightly harsh scoreline on the Lions who will draw from the positives of the first hour, and look to go again next weekend at home to Alexandra Park.