THE Lions rounded off a decent season a defeat at a strong Launceston Castles side at Polson Bridge on Saturday.

Liskeard were able to welcome back prop Oscar Mortimer, flanker Will Gouge and Kieran Knight who moved from the centre to the wing.

The Lions should have gone ahead in the first few minutes when the referee awarded them a kickable penalty unfortunately this was pushed wide. In the eighth minute the home side did manage to open the scoring with a converted try.

Two minutes later, some good attacking rugby sent flanker Andy Rowe through for a try that was converted by centre James Noel-Johnson to level the scores.

On 15 minutes the home side nicked Liskeard ball at a line-out and with a good break they went over for a converted try to put themselves 14-7 ahead.

The score remained that way until just before the break as from a scrum penalty to Liskeard, some great handling sent full-back Kieran Underhill in for a try in the corner. Noel-Johnson’s superb touchline kick levelled the contest.

However, from the restart, Liskeard were unable to gather the ball and conceded to go in seven points behind.

In the first attack of the second half, by the home side, Rowe was controversially shown a yellow card. Then, to rub salt in the wound, the home side scored their bonus point try, also converted, to increase their lead to 28-14.

In the 50th minute the Lions were awarded a penalty just outside the home 22, and a shot at goal from Noel-Johnson was good for 28-17.

The home side crossed the whitewash for a fifth time soon after, and although this was unconverted, they had a 16-point lead.

Hopes of an epic comeback were raised in the 63rd minute as following superb play by the Lions involving both forwards and backs, it was Mortimer crashed over for a try off the back of a driving maul. Noel-Johnson’s kicking boots were working well (33-24).

But Launceston sealed the contest with 13 minutes remaining with the final try of the match, and their best as a move ended with a half-pitch wide pass to finish the game.

After the match the Liskeard man-of-the-match was deemed by former player Terry Brennan to be evergreen Noel-Johnson for an all-round display of match-awareness and his kicking from both hand and tee.

Despite the loss the Lions secured a worthy position of sixth in the table with a points total of 53 including six try bonus points and three losing bonus points.

Even though the league has been completed there are two important upcoming dates for the Lions.

They are in the final of the Plymouth Combinations Royal Navy Engineers Cup against University of Plymouth Thirds at Devonport Services on Monday, May 4 (4pm), before the club’s annual general meeting at Lux Park on Tuesday, May 19 (7pm). Members and players encouraged to come along and have their say.

LISKEARD-LOOE: Kieran Underhill; Alex Kendall, Jack Badnall, James Noel-Johnson, Kieran Knight; Callum Beaver, Jay Mason; Oscar Mortimer, Archie Doidge (capt), Jack Wilton; Billy Warner, Jason Flitcroft; Andy Rowe, Will Gouge, Adam Dack. Replacements: Josh Husband, Ollie Dunn, Sean Simmons, Mike McCarthy.

Tries: Rowe, Underhill, Mortimer; Convs: Noel-Johnson (3); Pens: Noel-Johnson.

Lions’ man-of-the-match: James Noel-Johnson.