But it took a ferocious verbal assault from coach Mark Ellis and skipper Tristan Prosser-Shaw to rouse Lions into this exciting response – and then only after Bees had added their fourth try on the restart.

Coach Mark Ellis said: "I established what I wanted from this game in terms of performance rather than result: pride, passion, determination, heart and soul.

"We didn't show that in the first half and I and skipper Tristan Prosser-Shaw told them very bluntly at half time.

"I am pleased that in that last half hour we showed our supporters how we have been trying to play all season with a lot of skill, a lot of pace and at the right tempo."

No one could have argued if many fans had cited Christmas shopping as an excuse for not coming to this last game of the season after Lions' desperate run of five successive defeats.

But it was in fact a good turnout and the faithful were eventually well rewarded after extra time in the bar when a delayed start was required to meet the stipulation that all games start at 3 pm on the final day of the league season.

As in their previous match at Darlington Mowden Park, Lions, though fielding a more familiar line up than in that game, had the early possession but not the penetration to score.

And that cost them as they spurned early chances to kick penalties in order to go for tries.

Bees took advantage on their first attack, sending winger Mark Kirkby down the left wing and through two tackles with Tom Rhodes converting for 0-7 on nine minutes.

Rugby started to make their presence felt with some off-the-cuff attacks that twice looked productive until the referee called back a player with a clear run to the line.

Then James Hawken, in his last game before taking a year away from the game to focus on family life with his wife and young twins, broke through a group of Bees tacklers and the same attack finally took Tristan Wati over for a try. While Wati, in gridiron style, took his suspect ankle off the pitch once his job was done, Hawken converted for 7-12.

A scuffle between Matt Goode and Tom Rhodes saw play brought back and both players spoken to. Rhodes was then replaced while Goode needed time out with a cut lip but he was apparently also the victim of gouging that had dislodged his contact lenses.

As so often this season, Lions were to concede a try just before or just after the interval – and this time they did both to look dead in the water at 7-26 after 43 minutes.

Skipper Tristan Prosser-Shaw, retiring as a rugby player after this game to become General Manager of Nuneaton Borough FC, said, "Perhaps I lost my head a little at half time but I told the team we were not
playing with enough heart and passion.

"In the last half hour we did show heart and passion and we played how we can play when we commit ourselves. It was fantastic; great team tries and great defence as well."

After half time, Lions brought on Sam Overton, after an impressive first start for Ollie Cowley at hooker, and Lloyd Warner and they must have felt the game was already over after that fourth Bees try.

Then Stuart Riding was clearly in trouble with his shoulder again, settling into a scrum as though expecting an electric shock and when the scrum was delayed he knew he had to go off.

At Mowden Park, his early retirement had been a big psychological blow. This time, it was the key to the transformation of the whole match.
On came debutant scrum half Justin Parker, who had arrived at the club from Banbury around Christmas as a mate of Goode's but who was injured at his first training session.

Handley moved position to play where his wits were needed in the back row and Parker, playing as if born to the situation, galvanised Lions, Mike Rust expertly scoring four minutes later to complete a sharp move with a strong run down the left touchline.

Bees kicked a penalty to limit the damage to their lead but it was they who were to be the ones slow to rise from any breakdown and none of them was able to catch a flying Ade Hales as he rampaged through under
the clubhouse balcony in wholly typical style.

Hales had had a difficult afternoon until then but he was to go from knock-on king to scoring superhero in Rugby's scintillating comeback.

From runs by Hawken and Shaun Brady, Parker then broke clear to score, Hawken converting for 24-29 with scuffles showing everyone's commitment, including a running feud between Goode and Bees winger David Moore.

Lisiate Tafa, whose try sealed Lions' defeat at Bingley on the opening day of the season, caught a high ball and could have called a mark.

Instead he went to ground and held on, Hawken kicking the penalty while Tafa went to the sinbin – 27-29 with 15 minutes to play.

Rugby then took a scrum against the head, Rust initiated a good Lions move and again Hales was too quick, Hawken converting again to give Lions the lead for the first time on 68 minutes, and the scoreboard promptly went haywire.

In racing terms, Lions might have hit the front too early as Bees came back strongly. But despite prolonged pressure, Bradford & Bingley could not breach Lions' fine defence and get their noses in front again.

A Hawken run was carried on by a Hales and pacy Alex Nash double act for Overton to dive over the line in exuberant and match-winning fashion as a suitable way to bring down the curtain on the season and signal it was party time to celebrate legendary Lions supporter Poll Green's birthday.

Mark Ellis knows one win doesn't make a successful season: "Perhaps we kidded ourselves our fitness levels were better than they were and we were not in the condition needed to play that way all through so there is a great deal of work to do in the close season.

"But I am very pleased with the situation so far about who we will have staying here next season and who we might be able to bring into the squad."

Rugby Lions: Hawken, Rust, Goode (Warner 35-40+1), Clarke (Warner h-t), Hales, Glackin, Handley, Tyers, Cowley (Overton h-t), Wati (Siviter 29), Cheney, Riding (Parker 49), Nash, Prosser-Shaw, Brady.