1985 GB Lions

Great Britain 7-0 France

Friendly International at Walton & Hersham FC, Surrey – September 29 1985 (Attendance 2,000)

A total of 31 London Ravens and their then head coach Lance Cone took on the French in their first ever international in the UK. The GB squad was far bigger than their French opponents, but agility and speed kept their opponents in the game right up until the end.

A Victor Ebubedike (Ravens) touchdown around right end from just six yards out was the only end zone score with Simon Raven slotting the extra point kick.


Ebubideke scores GB's first ever international TD  vs France

The GB side threatened many more points, but Cone’s desire to give everybody a game meant a disjointed performance. Some of the players who made the starting line-up that day included John Aska, Dave Chambers, Ario Cruz, Bobcat Lawrence Dinham, LB John Parker and Leeds Cougar Sammy Pryce.


QB Ario Cruz vs France

Full squad of GB vs. France 1985

QB. Ario Cruz (London Ravens), Dave Stanton (Birmingham Bulls)
RB. Victor Ebubedike, Mark Wynnick, Mark Walcott, Joe St. Louis (all London Ravens), Gladstone McKenzie (Milton Keynes Bucks), Cliff Morgan (Olympians)
WR. Allan Brown (Milton Keynes Bucks), Brian Downer, Maverick Logan (London Ravens), Sammy Pryce (Leeds Cougars)
TE. Lawrence Dinham (Witney Wildcats), Mike English (London Ravens), Calvin Holder (London Ravens)
OL. John Wenegieme , Kevin Ashford, Alan Hurst-Smith, Paul Johnson, Kennie Rennie, Robin Mason, Owen Palmer (all London Ravens), Gary Walker (Oxford Bulldogs), Simon Warner (Olympians),


DL. Dave Buller (Olympians), Tony Dearen (Oxford Bulldogs), Curly Neal (Northants Storm), Lloyd Oloko, Paul Pink, Delvin Pitt, Errol Phillips, Tom Hunter (all London Ravens)
LB. Kevin Allen, Martin Fletcher (all Olympians), Paul Boomer (Manchester Allstars), Dave Chambers (Birmingham Bulls), Ian U-Chong, Tim Brooking, Leroy Slue, Mark King, John Aska (all London Ravens), Troy Newton (Leicester Panthers), John Parker (Milton Keynes Bucks)
DB. Kevin Duffy, Steve Higgins, Denis Rahman, David Prince, Paul Medley, Malcolm Phillips (all London Ravens)
P/K. Steve Raven (London Ravens)


Game statistics:


Rushing: Cruz 2-0; Stanton 1-0; Morgan 3-7; Wynnick 2-8; Ebubedike 10-37-1; Pryce 2-11; St Louis 4-11; McKenzie 3-(minus)2; Walcott 2-8.
Passing: Cruz 6-15-2(int)-54-0 TDs;  Stanton 2-0-0(int)-0-0 TDs.
Receiving:  Dinham 3-29;  St Louis 2-13;  Downer 1-12.
Kicking: Raven 4 punts for 153 yards (38 yard average), 1 PAT; 1 FG missed.
Tackles: Most (4) recorded by Parker with 4 assists.
Sacks:  Fletcher 3; Hunter, Higgins, Boomer 1 each, Oloko 1/2.
Kick returns: Higgins 5 punt returns for 65 yards.
Interceptions:  Aska and Prince 1 each.

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