Peterborough Lions chief warns Borough they have one shot at derby day success and it arrives on Saturday

Peterborough Lions Rugby Club supremo Andy Moore has warned arch-rivals Peterborough RUFC the only chance they will ever get to taste derby day success arrives this Saturday (January 25, 2.15pm).
By Alan Swann
Published 23rd Jan 2020, 11:00 BST
Asher Veematahau on his way to a try for Peterborough Lions v Newport. Photo: Mick Sutterby.Asher Veematahau on his way to a try for Peterborough Lions v Newport. Photo: Mick Sutterby.
Asher Veematahau on his way to a try for Peterborough Lions v Newport. Photo: Mick Sutterby.

Lions have never lost to Borough in their 16-year existence, but Moore admits his side will be vulnerable when the teams clash at Fengate in an East Midlands Cup semi-final.

The Lions play in a division higher than Borough, but they’ve been on the wrong end of heavy defeats in the last two seasons of struggle.

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“We’re wounded,” Moore said. “But we are far from finished. People have been writing us off for years even as we rose from step 10 to the National League, but we are still going. We are still fighting and we are re-building towards a successful future.

Action from Peterborough Lions v Newport. Number 6 is George Roberts with, left to right, Darryl Thower, Ben Peach, Will Anderson, Marius Andrijauskas, Callum Jakes, Martin Lewis also pictured. Photo: Mick Sutterby.Action from Peterborough Lions v Newport. Number 6 is George Roberts with, left to right, Darryl Thower, Ben Peach, Will Anderson, Marius Andrijauskas, Callum Jakes, Martin Lewis also pictured. Photo: Mick Sutterby.
Action from Peterborough Lions v Newport. Number 6 is George Roberts with, left to right, Darryl Thower, Ben Peach, Will Anderson, Marius Andrijauskas, Callum Jakes, Martin Lewis also pictured. Photo: Mick Sutterby.

“We’ve never lost to Borough in our history. We used to beat them in the Hunts and Peterborough Cup and we beat them four times out of four when we played in the same division.

“We are looking forward to the game on Saturday and we are going there to win, but this is Borough’s one chance to beat us. I say to them you better take this opportunity because there won’t be another one.

“I don’t know anything about Borough’s team. I don’t pay them a lot of attention. We are likely to be playing in the same division next season, but we will be stronger then. Our coach Vili Ma’asi has already agreed to stay on which is a big boost.

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“We have some good young players coming through. Our backs are already very talented and we’ve started scoring tries, but we’ve just been getting found out in the front five this season.

Roy Lolesio on his way to a try for Peterborough Lions v Newport. Photo: Mick Sutterby.Roy Lolesio on his way to a try for Peterborough Lions v Newport. Photo: Mick Sutterby.
Roy Lolesio on his way to a try for Peterborough Lions v Newport. Photo: Mick Sutterby.

“To lose 16 players as we did in the summer would hurt anyone, but we’ve shown improvement as the season has progressed. We are still losing, but we are not getting hammered like we were.

“We are in freefall after two seasons of bad beatings, but we won’t fall any further after this season and we haven’t been put off by what we’ve experienced in the Premier Division. We want to get back as as soon as we can.”

Lions are bottom of the Midlands Premier Division witgh just one win from 16 matches. They went down 64-19 at home to Newport last Saturday (January 18) when Roy Lolesio, and the Veematahau twins Naki and Asher scored tries.

*BOROUGH’S view on the big game will appear online tomorrow.

Related topics:Peterborough LionsPeterborough RUFCFengate