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Overseas Sport: BATUS Lions FC
BATUS Lions FC
BATUS Lions F.C. (Red) conducted their Summer 2021 football tour in Victoria, British Colombia, Canada. After a season in the local league the team travelled to play against Naval Base CFB Esquimalt, the HQ for the Canadian Pacific Naval Fleet. The team of 10, which consisted of 9 REME and 1 RE personnel triumphed 3-1 in a convincing victory. The BATUS Lions opened the scoring when Sgt Tonks burst down the right wing and put in a fine cross for LCpl Clark, who calmly headed it in. From here the Lions controlled the game comfortably up until half time, coming close with efforts from LCpl Moore who was denied multiple times with excellent stops from the opposition goalkeeper.
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After the half time break the Lions struggled to return to their first half performance and conceded to a right footed strike from the Esquimalt Winger - an agonising goal to concede as the Lions goalkeeper Cpl Patel got a hand to it. Regardless, it squeezed into the top corner. For the next ten minutes Cpl Patel made some excellent saves to keep the Lions in the game including a double save at point blank from the opposition Striker. After the barrage from Esquimalt was over, the Lions quickly recovered dominance of the game with neat passing in midfield and confident dribbling from
Cpl Rai rushing through the back line
the forwards. The breakthrough came when LCpl Moore collected the ball on the wing and glided past the opposing Defender before firing a pinpoint pass into Cpl Scriven (RE) who, with an excellent first touch, then slotted the ball through the keeper’s legs and put the Lions 2-1 up. For the rest of the game the Lions were well on top and wore the opposition down with excellent passing and great work rates off the ball. Ten minutes from the end Sgt Tonks received the ball from right back and carried it all the way up the pitch, navigating his way past two Esquimalt players to finally dart into the opposition box and fire the ball into the top left corner from an almost impossible angle; cementing the Lions victory with a score line of 31.
The game was a fantastic opportunity to engage with another Nation’s Armed Forces through sport and being able to conduct this type of activity is greatly welcomed after the slight easing of COVID19 restrictions.
A special mention and thanks go to CFB Esquimalt who gave us a tough game and were extremely accommodating on the day, providing us with a commemorative plaque and post match refreshments.
