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[Mick]

LIONS DEVOURED BY ROMANS

"Like cows against gazelles"

New Rome 3 Colombo Lions 2
(Ainsworth 2)

Negombo, April 2 2005


Colombo Lions made Sri Lankan football history on 2 April when they became the first foreign team to participate in the country's national FA Cup tournament. But their hopes of cup glory came to an end when they lost 2-3 to a very impressive New Rome outfit in Negombo. Atrocious English weather conditions and a sizeable crowd made for a real cup tie atmosphere from the off. Kicking into the wind in the first half, Lions found themselves almost immediately forced to defend, with the Romans dominating possession. Their superior start to the game was quickly rewarded with a soft goal after 5 minutes. But the Lions, never letting their heads drop, responded magnificently, and mounted a number of strong counterattacks involving Mucky on the left. Finally he was brought down close to the left corner flag. His freekick appeared to be glanced across goal by a Roman defender leaving Steve to net with a simple header. 1-1. Then in the 20th minute Steve got on to the scoresheet again. A speculative shot from the edge of the box should not have troubled the keeper, but he contrived to let it slip through his hands and over the line. 1-2 to the Lions. The Romans realised they had a fight on their hands. But they found a new gear and, with their stylish playmaker running the midfield, dominated possession for the rest of the half. 1-2 at the break. The Lions made one substitution at half time, Madmick coming on for Marlon. With the wind at their backs, the Lions felt confident of holding the Romans at bay. But then the heavens opened. The torrential rain rapidly turned the Lions' end into a quagmire, and the wind, just when the Lions hoped to take advantage of it, dropped. The Romans threw everything at the Lions, with their two forwards ably supported by some incisive attacking play from a youthful but very competent and mobile midfield. The Lions once again found themselves being forced back, the midfield effectively having to operate as a second back four, leaving Chicksy and Mucky stranded up front. In the driving rain the Romans threw everything at the Lions defence, and only a string of fine saves from Man of the Match Asanka denied the Romans an equaliser. But a goal still looked likely. And then, like London buses, two came at once, both after goalmouth melees which left the Lions defenders sprawling despairingly in the mud. 3-2 to the Romans. They thought it was all over...but with fifteen minutes to go, in a rare foray into the Romans half, a freekick was won by Maddog around 30 yards from goal. Madmick floated it over the wall and towards the far post, where Steve was excellently positioned to slot it in. 3-3 and a wedding week hattrick for Mr A. But the Lions' celebrations were cut brutally short by a curious offside decision from the otherwise impeccably even-handed referee. But to their enormous credit, the Lions kept going, running their legs into the ground in a desperate search for an equaliser that would have taken the game to even higher drama with penalties. But it was not to be. In his post-match press conference the Lions' Gaffer paid credit to the opposition, and described the second half battle in the mud as being "like cows against gazelles". It was also the day the Lions were devoured by the Romans.
M