Peterborough Lions and Stamford deliver a great advert for local rugby union as Peterborough RUFC waste a flying start at league leaders

​Favourites Stamford won 24-16 to maintain third place, but Lions were pleased with their form as they attempt to put a troubled 2023 behind them.

Lions chairman Andy Moore said: "The best team won however, we are a much improved side from the one one that started the season.

"This is our 80th year and, although we didn’t win, we took part in a great advert for the game and hopefully we can now kick on up the table.”

Lions are ninth, but will climb a place on Saturday if they can win at eighth-placed Stockwood Park.

The city will have a good chance of a fourth win of the season if they take this form into that game.

Lions ground staff had worked tirelessly for three days to clear water off the pitch and their hard work seemed to have paid off as they dominated the first half and bombarding the Stamford defence.

But they only had a penalty kicked by Will Moore to show for their efforts. Stamford’s first foray into the Lions half after 20 mins resulted in a converted try.

Shocked they had gone behind Lions resumed their onslaught and were rewarded by Luke Palu charging over for a try, but the visitors hit back to claim a second try and a 12-8 half-time lead.

Stamford were stronger after the break and added two more tries. Lions responded with a Moore penalty and a Ben Anu try.

BOROUGH BEATEN

Peterborough RUFC enjoyed a flying start to their Regional 2 Midlands East game at leaders Lutterworth, but eventually went down 26-8.

A well-worked team try scored by Ian Williams and a Lawrence Teague penalty gave the city side an early 8-0 lead, but a fortunate home try was followed by yellow cards for Borough pair Zak McClure and Chris Sykes.

And while Borough had 13 men Lutterworth scored two tries to lead 21-8 at the break.

Borough came close to scoring further tries, but the only points of the second-half came through a Lutterworth try.

It doesn’t get a lot easier for Borough this Saturday as second-placed Market Harborough are at Fengate (2.30pm).

Borough director of rugby Shane Manning said: “Yet again we helped our own demise. The lads know how we need to play, but went away from our attacking structure and that hurt us.

"But credit to them though as they kept going when a lot of other sides would have completely imploded.”

OUNDLE PIPPED

Oundle were pipped 20-19 by second-placed Sudbury in a Regional 1 South East match after missing a tough late conversion at Occupation Road.

Samson Ma’asi, Matty Ma’asi and Ben Young scored the tries for sixth-place Oundle who are at fourth-placed Letchworth on Saturday.